Joe Friday

Full transparency: I am as OCD as they come about 'perfection' while living in this imperfect world... lol.

Driving my nice 2018 F150 Lariat down the highway the other day, and a semi chucks up a small stone which bounces off the leading edge of my truck hood and ricochets off of my windshield.... leaving a double hood ding (maybe it was two stones) and a small window chip the size of the point of a ballpoint pen on my windshield.

The ding(s) in particular are driving me nuts..... in reality they are the size of a penny each..... but by the time the ding travels through my eye and process in my head, they strike me as the size of a bowling ball. Get the picture? haha.

I went to a Ford dealer and the Collision guy says they can fix it at a cost of $519. They will have to add a small amount of 'metal work' into the ding and a trace amount of bondo .... spray the damaged area and blend into the hood, and then 'clear' the entire hood.

I question whether they 'really' have to add 'metal' into such a small ding, but he says it has to do with the 'aluminum' composition of the hood??!!

Is there a 'special' procedure that they have to employ to fix such a minor ding? Seems to me it would be a traditional repair but he says they will have to 'add metal' and then grind the metal down and then smooth out any remaining minor deviation with their body filler.... prime and paint.

I am attaching pictures, which probably make the 'ding' look worse than it is..... I found it is extremely hard to photograph a 'ding' in a way that is visible, and accurately represents the damage. I couldn't quite capture the 'double/side-by-side ding.... the photos show just a single ding.

My brother (not as picky as me) says, 'Don't do it.' But man - it's a NEW vehicle and I like my stuff to be nice.

I did just order a 'Magnetic Met J7' color matched AVS Aerosking bug deflector.... which will protect future minor hits... and likely cover over the damaged area.... but again, my mind will always know the ding is 'there.'

MY QUESTION IS: Am I going to compromise the 'integrity' of my hood paint by allowing them to do the repair, and scuff up the entire hood paint to 'clear' it when completed?? Will this hold up alright over time?

My thought was to just do the repair and get it behind me and then immediately install the self-adhesive bug deflector mentioned above.

I am sure I will get many varying opinions on how to approach this.... but will surely read and consider them all. Thanks F150 family.

McLovin

Try to find a PDR (paintless dent repair) guy in your area. It’s amazing what those guys can do!

Joe Friday

Thanks Mike - that crossed my mind.... but I still have a scratch right through the paint.... aaaarrrrgh! ;-) Maybe I should have a PDR guy smooth it out and just tough up that little scratch. It is very, very small.... the photos make it look enormous.

djfllmn

iTrader: (1)

PDR, and touch it up. Chances are you will get another goober there eventually

ifallsron

Ouch. That repair is manageable but will require some effort. New and unpainted would cost around $800. My body guy has a couple junk yards he works with to get cheaper replacements.

Reminds me of when a kid took down a hanging bicycle and bounced it off another vehicle we had.

I've got several hail pocks on the hood that I notice when the light is right. Probably could have had insurance repair but they don't make me nuts. Maybe the next storm will do a better job.

fordguy2100

I'll echo the PDR and then touch it up. Once that deflector goes on it'll be protected and the "its still there" bug won't be nagging you.... oh and your wallet will still like you lol

77Ranger460

Put the Aeroskin on and forget about it. I am all about doing my best to take of a vehicle, but if you use them things like that happen.

Scott91370

1) You're not OCD or you wouldn't have to ask and stuff like this would have a totally different meaning in your world.
2) Get a hood/wind deflector and you'll be fine.

21RRF150

iTrader: (1)

The repair will only add "integrity" to the panel painted. If you take it to a reputable shop they will apply the proper amount of sealers, color, and clear. Something the factory does not do.

RLXXI

This^ absolutely! When my truck was still new (paper tag in the window new) got caught in a hail storm, pelted the crap out of my truck, hood, tops of fenders, roof and bed. PDR took care of all of it and you would never know it had $2,200 damage. My truck has a steel body but the hood is aluminum.

As for the paint scratch, that can easily be fixed after the dent is worked out.
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