Ever since Ford Motor launched the industry’s first aluminum-bodied pickup truck, skeptics have wondered what it would cost to repair damage to the F-150′s “military grade aluminum” panels after a crash.
Now, thanks to a clever stunt by the folks at Edmunds.com, we have a good idea. And it’s not pretty.
Editors at the consumer advice website bought a $52,000 F-150 4X4 Super Crew for their long-term test fleet, then promptly took a sledgehammer to the rear quarter panel — twice — intentionally denting it so they could investigate the repair costs. (My first thought was, “Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?!”)
Edmunds’ goal, in the name of consumer awareness, was to test the theory that it’s more expensive to repair an aluminum truck than a steel one. Their answer? Way, way more. (There are a few flaws in their approach, however, which we’ll get to later.)
Read Article