Hey guys,

Trying to think ahead and make some life decisions - haha.

I love my truck. I love the way it sits, rides, sounds, and looks. But it does have its flaws.

Recently I've noticed a lot of scratches, scuffs, and paint chips as well as some bits of rust.

Trying to figure out if I just want to keep the truck for a few more years or possibly trade-in/sell it.

The scratches and scuffs don't appear to be to deep. The chipped paint looks pretty bad. It's on the bumper.



^^ Some A$$hat hit me with a shopping cart... No Notes!

The bumper on my FTX feels like it is made of... Well I'm not sure. Not plastic, but maybe. But anyway there are now 2 big chips of paint missing.



This one below looks like someone hit me with their door.

I haven't actually tried to get any of these out by having it professionally detailed yet.



The rust is peaking out through the edges of the fender flares. Looks like the flares have rubbed against the body and exposed itself to allow rust.

There is one small dent, on the driver side passenger door. Right where the there is like a crease (for lack of a better description) in the middle of the door.


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But anyway, I am curious what you guys think it would cost to either respray the truck (same color DSG) or just fix those area's.

If the price isn't to bad, I may consider that and doing a few upgrades and just keeping this truck for the long haul (it's paid off ) or if it would be too outrageous, I may consider selling/trading-in in a year or so.

Let me know your thoughts. I know location comes into play (Indianapolis, IN), but just looking for a rough estimate. Also where do you go to get these sort of paint jobs? Ford? Local Paint shop? -- Not Macco!

 

What's the max you would be willing to pay for an entire respray? The bumper should be right at $300 and the others I'm sure not sure about. That first pic really looks like it would come right out though, at least a majority of it.

The thing is, if you want a new truck, you should get a new truck. You have to know when to cut your losses and get what will actually make you happy. That said, it doesn't sound like you're in that mindset and I still think these are very good looking trucks, and as of now, don't look outdated like the 97-03s do. You've got a laundry list of goodies on this truck already and you've already been through all (crossed my fingers for you) the (somewhat) common hellish non motor and trans replacement repairs (manifolds and plugs). And on top of all that, even $5k worth of paint work (MAAAAX) is better than paying $45k+ for a new truck, cause I'm just gonna go ahead and assume you'd want something special and/or loaded-to-the-hilt FX4 or Platinum and then do a bunch of mods. Your truck is as fast or faster than an Ecoboost with that non/IC on it and still grabs plenty of attention. I try to be as unbiased as possible in saying things like this, but I really do think the 04-08s still look very good and no one will look at it and go "oh, that's a 9 year old truck."

As a side note, I drove next to a 199x(3?) to 1998 Silverado today that had a 4-6" lift and nice sized tires with a bunch of very tasteful mods and extensive PTM work. The biggest thing is that I could tell it was repainted recently and the truck really did look GREAT, the paint made the truck.

Some Dbag put a pretty sizeable dent in my otherwise (and I mean this quite literally) perfect front bumper a few weeks ago while parked in the parking garage, so I feel your pain there. Not happy about that.

 

A good paint job is about 80 to 90% in the prep work. A very good paint job has all the rubber, glass, chrome trim, door handles, and badges removed, it's a lot of work. I would say you may be looking at 2 to 3 grand for a moderately nice job with good material. But that is just an uneducated guess. Out here in the Peoples Republic of California we have the Air Resources Board and the EPA, so that adds cost. Plus you can't get good paint because of thee V.O.C. regulations.

For what you have I think a good paint patch guy could fix you right up.

 

Man, I feel your pain there. Besides the chipped paint on the bumper (rocks from tires) the dent and other scratches/scuffs have all been from other people's carelessness.

And $5K seems like a lot, but you are correct. It is better than $20K+ that I would have to pay for a new truck (after trade in). And really, I would settle for nothing less than a loaded FX4. Then I would want to do some upgrades so it would be even more.

This truck already has everything I would want. I would really only do paint + new wheels and bed cover and I would be happy with it. And figure out a few pesky squeaks inside.


Really, $2-3K doesn't sound that bad. It would be about what I would expect or hope to pay. But I was thinking $5K would probably more like it.

I did MACCO like 8 years ago on a 94 Camaro I had. Those clowns just painted straight over the scratches I had and they changed the color of the car. So yes, it had a new coat of paint, but you could see the scratches straight through the new paint. Idiots.

 

You get what you pay for.

 

Yes... I found out the hard way. I was young, dumb, and apparently not smart enough to look up reviews.

 

Well my big dent is from someone's carelessness too I'd have throttled them if I saw it. I even have a damn bull bar on the front for just that sort of event, but, of course they didn't hit that . . . I was considering have my bumpers stripped and PTM'd, but now I need a new one for the front to have painted.

I threw $5k out there as an absolute maximum. I too think $3k would be the top I would actually expect to pay. When the words "full paint job" come to mind, the figures "$2-3k" follow, but I'd assume the top of that range because it's a giant truck (the lift may add extra cost) and not a smaller car. But those are just the numbers that come to mind and I have nothing to support that.

But yeah, I assumed you'd want one loaded up from the factory and then add goodies haha. I still think you'd be fine with a re-paint on items here and there, then a really good buff and wax by a professional though.

 

Yeah. I think I would be willing to pay that 2-3k as long as I plan on keeping the vehicle another couple of years.

It only has 90,200 mi on it so it's still young at heart haha.

I need to find a quality detailer around here and take my truck to them. See what they can work out and see how happy I am.

Not even sure what a quality detailer would charge. I think I saw a groupon for a service around here for 20% off. May have to check out the quality of their work.

 

My 06 is sitting at 90,999.8 haha.

I have no idea what a full exterior detail costs, 2 or 3 hundred plus I'm sure. Lord knows my truck needs it. I have white overspray all over my entire front end.

 

Yeah, That's about what I figured...

That will probably be step #1. But with all this crappy Indiana weather I'm going to give it a few weeks.

 

Yeah, my family is moving up there in June and damn is it cold compared to Texas, and it's not even that bad! They'll be in the Carmel/Fishers general area.

 

Great Area!

Been in Fishers for 3 years now

 

Glad to hear it! My parents just can't find the right house. My mom has to have the kitchen and great room adjacent and open, otherwise it's out without question. But they'd best find one soon!

I really do like the area though. I went "Indiana . . . eww . . . " cause you know, if it's not Texas it sucks But once I took a house-hunting trip with them, I liked it a lot.

 

Seems to be a prevalent attitude down there...................

 

Hey, I put a little after saying it haha

But, well, I still don't plan on ever leaving so . . . I'm surrounded by like-minded individuals I'm aware of it, but I still love it