My own fault for not pulling up and checking the ball was locked on my 5-month old Lariat. Loading the SXS this cold morning and just hooked up and when I went to load the SXS trailer came straight up scaping and denting the tailgate. Wondering how much to have it repaired before calling insurance in the morning. Think it'll be a new tailgate or just a skin? I'm not keen on the skin with rivets. If the tailgate is replace that'll also mean another trip to Line-X. Oh well, guess that is why we pay insurance and my second claim ever.

 

Yup. New tailgate. Find a dealer with a new white takeoff gate and ask them to paint it. That's what I did. Bought the complete brand new line-x'd white tailgate for $500, paid another $500 for paint (Ruby red metallic tricoat). Swapped over my camera, chrome handle, etc. Much cheaper than the $1200+ I was quoted for a new gate plus paint...

 

 

Yup, knew it was going to be an expensive Sunday. I'll be lucky if the dealer here has anything. It'll probably be a $500 deductible and a week without the truck. Pretty sure I'm not the first to do it. This will be a good reminder going forward for me that's for sure.

 

Have the shop remove gate. They can paint the new one and change over the parts and reinstall. Also check craigslist. Couple of gates here in my area.

 

If Craigslist isn't fruitful, there are several of them listed on eBay. Make certain that if you have the tailgate step that you get another with the step. The step and non-step tailgates are different.
And I'm familiar with sick feeling in your gut. I got rear-ended by a telephone pole in my first year of ownership.

 

New OE tailgate for my Platinum (don't ask), painted to match and Linex bed liner on the backside was $2450. Subtract the big chrome platinum piece which was $500 by itself. The Linex was about $150 of the total bill. The body shop re-used my top pad, camera the step and internals. Definitely check your local salvage yard first.

 

Mine was $1400 out the door - no internal step, but has camera, electric locking, ford bed coating, and light back there. could have saved $250 if i brought my own tailgate in (it's not a skin) from a discount dealer online but they said they won't guarantee the paint if i don't get the part through them. had a $1000 deductible so i just decided to eat it. wasn't a good day.

 

Well that sucks......I`m not sure if your rates will go up or if you even care but if it were me, I would just call my insurance company, pay the deductible, and have everything put back like it was before the incident.

As a bonus and if it has to be replaced, ask the body shop to save the tailgate for you and you can sell it as is on Ebay. Or, if your insurance company has agreed on a replacement, just remove it yourself before taking it in for the repair.

 

 

My deductible is $500 so I am going to let the insurance handle it. Thankfully I have 'accident foregiveness' so this won't cause my rates to go up. I'm expecting total cost at least $1500. On a good note, when i do have the tailgate Line-X reapplied I'll get the running boards sprayed as well.

 

Awesome and hopefully they`ll have it replaced instead of repaired.

 

Having built many system for various insurance companies over the years, be forewarned that having 'accident forgiveness' doesn't necessarily mean that the amount you pay won't go up. It just means they won't change your starting base rate, but the other factors that go into your monthly bill, like say a 'safe driver' discount, might still be affected.

 

I asked about that and considering the bundle of premiums I'm paying them the service rep was adamant that my current rates would stay the same for the next year at least. My rates going up in a year however will not be surprising. Insurance is a nice to have safety net, but after more than 40 years of paying and having two claims over that time I could have paid cash for a truck and some toys.