2019 F150 XLT FX4 super crew magnetic in color.

I am looking at adding some fender flares to the truck more for looks than practicality purposes. Not wanting to go with the big pocket or rivet flare look, but more looking at going two different directions on doing this. One way would be to purchase some OEM take offs that are painted an accent color and installing them. Downside being it's not often that take off painted parts arrive in non chipped, scratched condition. They also don't include the hardware to install them.

Second direction would be to go aftermarket in a black textured blasted finish such as Bushwacker or PSI. Benefit here is that all hardware is included, downside maybe the over all look and appearance once installed.

Care to chime in here with your opinion, or what you may have already tried?

 

I went with a used set of OEM take off from a Ford dealer off of Ebay. For $90 shipped I'll give it a try. They did have some dings with I fixed with a heat gun and applied pressure with a spoon from the opposite side. And then having to mount them in a way that didn't require having to drill a bunch of hole on the side of the fenders which took several attempts.

If I had to do it over again I would probably go with the Bushwacker OE's.

 

I wouldn't do it at all, if you do, consider them permanent as they will wreck your paint. I bought a used 2017 with aftermarket fender flares which I didn't like, so just take 'em off right? Well, I did only to find a perfect arc scratched into the paint on all 4 fenders. Got lucky, found a body shop willing to try a no guarantee buff which helped alot. Other body shops and detailers said I'd need to repaint. Think twice before you add fender flares.

 

This has crossed my mind as a concern. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

This is a common complaint if you google search the topic, common thread is fender flares should come with a warning kinda' like cigarettes. My truck is white which was a good thing, a darker color would probably require repaint, which I was quoted ~$4000 to do. The buff, which didn't completely eliminate the marks but was an improvement, was $325.

 

Go bushwacker as their customer service was astounding in my experience. The oem ones are made to mount to drilled oem fenders. The black bushwacker uses is not nearly as gray as some are.
can use 3m protection where the flares meet the body to prevent scratching paint. A lot of flare makers have switched to a wiper style rubber which doesn't do near the damage as the older style u shaped rubber.
My truck sees 50% dirt roads and I did larger flares for a purpose. If they weren't absolutely needed, I probably wouldn't have put them on.

 

Don't even need to do search for a product that might work, they sell Fender Flare Paint Protection Kits. Comes with a thin strip of painter's tape for marking the outside edge of the fenders, and the protective strip, of course.