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Had to pick between a full quarter panel or a section repair on a 2018 Silverado last week
The customer's truck had a big dent right at the wheel arch, about the size of a dinner plate. My boss wanted to replace the whole panel, but I argued we could section it out and weld in a new piece. We went with my section idea to save the customer some money. It took me about 8 hours total, including cutting, fitting, and finishing. The blend into the door came out really clean. Has anyone else had a shop push for a full replacement when a section would work just fine?
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carr.elliot16d ago
Man, I gotta disagree on this one. A full panel is just a better repair most of the time. That factory seam is up high by the roof, it's way stronger and cleaner than a section weld down by the wheel where it gets all the road junk and stress. Saving money is good, but you can't beat factory spot welds. I've seen sections fail an inspection later because the weld line starts to show through after a few winters. Sometimes the bigger job is the right job.
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grantp2820d ago
Big dent right at the wheel arch" is exactly where they always want to write off the whole panel lol. My old boss was the same, he'd see that and just hear the cash register ringing. Good on you for pushing back, that blend work sounds solid. I swear some shops just want the bigger ticket even if it's overkill.
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