That time in Dallas a customer argued their dent was 'character' not damage

Last month a guy brought in a 2018 F-150 with a door ding you could fit a fist through, said he wanted it left alone because it added 'personality.' I told him it would rust out in 6 months down here in Texas humidity. Why do people think body damage is like a patina on a classic?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.mia21d agoMost Upvoted

Did you ask him how much a rust repair costs compared to a dent pull?

chen.casey21d ago

My buddy Matt had this old Toyota truck, a '92, thing was a rust bucket underneath. He was trying to fix a dent on the rear panel, so he went to a body shop. The guy told him the dent pull would be maybe $300, paint included. But then he pointed out this tiny rust bubble near the wheel well. Said if they really wanted to fix it right, they'd have to cut out a chunk of the panel and weld in new metal. Ended up being like $1,200 for the rust alone, all because that little spot was way more rotten underneath than it looked. So yeah, rust is always the more expensive problem, no contest.

hannahk1921d ago

Hmm I dunno though... dents can get pretty pricey too if the panel is creased or the paint match has to be perfect. Rust is bad but at least it's usually contained to one spot, a dent across two panels can be a nightmare to blend in. Plus with rust you can sometimes just sand it down and paint over it if you're not trying to be perfect, good luck doing that with a big dent.