My deductible is $500, i actually passed up on an offer to have it lowered down at $250 for a little extra each month about a month ago. I was trying to save money at the time but now i'm kicking myself for it.

I'm definetly going to take care of this one way or another though, whether it be finding a good shop, buying a new tailgate, or possibly taking a crack at it myself, then buying a new tailgate lol. There is no way i can deal with seeing this every time i walk behind my truck, no way!!!
I'm generally always very careful with my vehicles, and i'm well aware that it's possible some sort of accident whether it be big or small may happen again. But spending the money to fix it is definetly worth it for me, because even if i dont see it, i know it's there and it bothers me. Especially when i put time, effort, and money into making the truck look how i want. It's my baby!!! lol.

Thanks guys for all your suggestions, opinions, and support. Glad to know others feel the same way about their trucks as i do about mine...

 

Here you go. It's easy to paint over white!
eBay Motors: 2004-2008 White Ford F150 Tailgate (item 160291782620 end time Oct-15-08 15:39:06 PDT)

This one looks like your color...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2004-...QQcmdZViewItem

 

Wow, $75.....that is pretty cheap. I'll have to seriously look into all my options before i make a move. If i can find a tailgate that cheap or cheap enough, i'd most definetly go that route, and then just have it painted to match. I do have a couple junkyards around here i can check as well, i've been meaning to go check them out because i want to replace my rear bumper, but dont want to pay the outrageous price at the dealership for one. My first step though will be to go around and get estimates, just so i can see what different auto body shops will say (about the tailgate).

A guy at work made a suggestion as well, he was talking about getting some sort of black panel to cover that whole bottom area of the tailgate, considering i have a lot of black on my truck already. All though i'm not sure how that would work, what to use, or how it would look.

Regardless of what i end up doing, i'll definetly post some pics and how much it cost.

 

Wow, big price differences on those two. But it's good to know it's possible to get one so cheap!

 

I had , or kinda still have a dent same lower portion as yours, but paint was not affected. I watched a bunch of videos on you tube on paintless dent repair. I took the tailgate off put it long ways in back of box painted side up. Took some handle prybars entered the hole on the side near the bottom and pryed the metal up till 95% gone. I can now live with mine.

 

That's the great thing about white, scratches dents and other imperfections don't stand out as much. My Wife's '06 Expy is white and she has dents (backed into a boulder...and she has the reverse sensors), scratches (backed into someones brush guard), and works retail at a mall (more door dings than you can shake a stick at). If your more than 5 ft from the car you can't see any of them. My rig could have a drop of water on it and it resembles a crater forming.

 

Haha...My gf has a black Fusion, she tends to like to back into things once in a while. She ended up backing into my neighbors red Taurus a few weeks ago, and now has a nice license plate indent in her bumper that you can see a mile away. I should of talked her into buying a white car..lol

 

Well it's nice to know it worked out for you, for the most part. Gives me another option to try if estimates i get are too high.

 

HA HA I heard a saying not to long ago from a guy in an autobody shop.
"If it's not right, paint it white" It's funny cause alot of trucks have a white repaint on the outside, but other color on inside door jams from auction. White is also the cheapest (color).

 

The Roush...or is it Saleen...anyways, 1 of those versions of the F-150 has a black plastic panel that covers the lower portion of the tailgate. it looks alot like the old 92-96 Chrome piece that you could get on the F series and Bronco




edit: nevermind, on the Saleen F-150 the plastic piece is too high I think