Aluminum Ford in Edmunds

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Just read a blurb from Edmunds on my newsfeed about aluminum F150 repair costs.

One dented quarter panel was over 2 grand to repair.

One tailight was 800 bucks!

They even got a reduced rate on the labor. Normal labor was 60 per hour and aluminum labor was supposed to be 120 bucks an hour!

Whew. I want to see how this all ends up...
 
Talking to the dent wizard guy, he was saying how aluminum panels are much harder to work with for paint less repair.
Possible double the time and cost with less chance of a perfect outcome.
 
Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Scary stuff! What will this do to insurance premiums?!?


Hopefully the insurance companies only penalize people owning aluminum Fords and don't decide on an across the board increase as these things become more popular. Insurance companies don't like to lose money and have no problems passing their expenses to everyone in many cases.
At first I thought the idea was good, now learning all the additional hidden [or not so hidden] costs of owning one, no thanks........
27.gif
But this could end up being another innovation jammed down the consumer's throat.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Look at what pickups have become. Soon a working man that needs a pickup for real work is going to get priced out of the market.



Ain't that the truth! A base model pickup is about 20K now if you can find one.
 
That's being a bit ingenuous.

The price of the quarter panel was exactly the same as the same panel in steel for a 2014 truck. Replacement no. for #2015F150 right boxside: FL3Z-9527840-A $967.48. 2014 F-150: AL3Z8427840B $967.48.

The $800 taillight included the sensors for the blind spot system. The normal price without the sensor is around $100.
 
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.
 
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.

Aluminum truck beds would be great if it looked like this...
alum_dump_1.jpg

Wouldn't a functional bed also be cheaper than fooling around with huge presses and fancy paint and trying to make flawless compound curves... No $800 tail lights either...
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.


but it will cost double for repair, if you use mainly for work, that truck would be throw away after a while, cause repair would cost more then the truck work.

One thing I learn about ford is, they build their vehicle not to last many year down the road, they are expect you to buy new one.

I am happy with GM truck all these year, they look better, having better protection, sure its heavy then aluminum, but I feel safe in a steel metal then in a aluminum .

and Im not happy with ford going v6 and aluminum and fake sound..... I think they will end up loosing alot customer for it.

I want try out that new Nissan titan diesel truck to see what its all about. Nissan are coming back and they will come back hard this time I believe .
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.

Aluminum truck beds would be great if it looked like this...
alum_dump_1.jpg

Wouldn't a functional bed also be cheaper than fooling around with huge presses and fancy paint and trying to make flawless compound curves... No $800 tail lights either...


haha I would roll in that with my window down.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.


but it will cost double for repair, if you use mainly for work, that truck would be throw away after a while, cause repair would cost more then the truck work.

One thing I learn about ford is, they build their vehicle not to last many year down the road, they are expect you to buy new one.

I am happy with GM truck all these year, they look better, having better protection, sure its heavy then aluminum, but I feel safe in a steel metal then in a aluminum .

and Im not happy with ford going v6 and aluminum and fake sound..... I think they will end up loosing alot customer for it.

I want try out that new Nissan titan diesel truck to see what its all about. Nissan are coming back and they will come back hard this time I believe .


You get a big old paint chip or dent and lose your paint on an aluminum truck, what happens? Nothing. You expose bare aluminum. What happens with a steel bodied truck? It will start to rust (particularly up here!) and you will eventually get perforation and the problem spreads.

The aluminum hoods used previously by Ford held up very well. The only problem they had was paint adhesion. But they didn't rust, or dent as easily, as their steel cousins.

I think it will be an improvement for trucks in the rust belt that actually work. No rotted out rockers or wheel wells.....

Think about it.
 
It's pretty common to see trucks with beds like that around here ... because the original bed has rusted out.

Won't have to worry about rusting beds on the new F150 ... just disintegrating beds.
 
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.


but it will cost double for repair, if you use mainly for work, that truck would be throw away after a while, cause repair would cost more then the truck work.

One thing I learn about ford is, they build their vehicle not to last many year down the road, they are expect you to buy new one.

I am happy with GM truck all these year, they look better, having better protection, sure its heavy then aluminum, but I feel safe in a steel metal then in a aluminum .

and Im not happy with ford going v6 and aluminum and fake sound..... I think they will end up loosing alot customer for it.

I want try out that new Nissan titan diesel truck to see what its all about. Nissan are coming back and they will come back hard this time I believe .


You are wrong about several things in your post.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: MetalSlug
Who the heck came up with aluminum truck.


You are way behind times. Ford has been using aluminum hood and trunk lids for 20+ years. Delivery vans like the US Postal delivery vans, The Brown Trucks, and probably Fed-X vans all have aluminum bodies. The aluminum bodies are way more dent resistant than steel.


but it will cost double for repair, if you use mainly for work, that truck would be throw away after a while, cause repair would cost more then the truck work.

One thing I learn about ford is, they build their vehicle not to last many year down the road, they are expect you to buy new one.

I am happy with GM truck all these year, they look better, having better protection, sure its heavy then aluminum, but I feel safe in a steel metal then in a aluminum .

and Im not happy with ford going v6 and aluminum and fake sound..... I think they will end up loosing alot customer for it.

I want try out that new Nissan titan diesel truck to see what its all about. Nissan are coming back and they will come back hard this time I believe .


You get a big old paint chip or dent and lose your paint on an aluminum truck, what happens? Nothing. You expose bare aluminum. What happens with a steel bodied truck? It will start to rust (particularly up here!) and you will eventually get perforation and the problem spreads.

The aluminum hoods used previously by Ford held up very well. The only problem they had was paint adhesion. But they didn't rust, or dent as easily, as their steel cousins.

I think it will be an improvement for trucks in the rust belt that actually work. No rotted out rockers or wheel wells.....

Think about it.


American are build in Steel and Concrete, not aluminum, and let keep it that way.
 
I would be OK with aluminum body on a truck. But I'm not the guy that nitpicks hail damage and scuffs. I keep mine clean and take good care of it, but it's not a show queen in front of a tailgate party either. I just use it. If the paint gets knocked off, I'll touch it up, but I've never been one to worry about dings and dents unless they'd risk rust -- those I'd fix.

So, a thicker, more dent-resistant, rust proof (note Al does corrode), body that assists mpg? I'm just fine with it.

backup cameras, proximity sensors, eyeball detection, blind zone protection, car2car network -- I will hold off as long as I can. My HVAC controls on the 2006 are still push/pull cables. While I wouldn't mind something a little more current than THAT, I gotta admit it's been nice having a trouble-free vehicle in this one.

But Al, yea, I think it's fine. Last jeep GC had an Al hood and I never had any problems with it. The T&C in my sig has a MASSIVE Al subframe -- the engine carrier, ties the lower front end together -- suspension, steering, engine/trans mount, all mount to it. Supposedly it is the largest aluminum subcomponent manufactured for a vehicle to date (don't know how dated that statement is), and IIRC it was a big factor in reducing chassis flex as well.

By the time I can afford an Al-bodied F150, there will be plenty of history on real cost of ownership and repair.
smile.gif
 
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