So I am COMPLETELY clueless on anything having to do with paint. But pretty much the whole ride side of my 97 Ford F150 has scratches from a barb wire fence. Some are down to the body. Im not completely sure on the color of the paint but its like a tan color. Just more out of curiousity, how much would it cost to fix this and how would I go about it? Would I have to get it repainted? Its really pretty bad.

 

You need to wash the truck and take pictures, then post them to get decent advice. Rule of thumb is if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, it can't be polished out.

 

I don't think anybody (in their right mind) is going to give you an accurate estimate to repaint the side of your truck over the internet. Even pictures won't help all that much. Another variable is the quality of the work. For instance, one used to be able to get a whole vehicle painted for just $29.95 many years ago. Of course primer, masking and a few other (major) things were simply not included in the base price.

My advice? Take your truck to a few reputable body shops in your area and ask them for a quote and some advice. Take careful note of what they recommend and what they include. (You'll find some stiking differences.) Then take a look at some of their finished work. You may find that the low bidder's work actually meets your needs / expectations. If you're truly OCD like me, you're going to find that a truly good paint job is pretty expensive.

 

I had a friend that did this to his truck, there is no "quick fix" it will need a repaint. I agree find a reputable body shop that fits your needs. Most body shops will knock the price down a bit if you do your own prep work, just do a lot of research and take your time if you decide to do that...my truck being a tri coat, that saved me a lot of money when i PTMed some stuff.