Beware Of Aluminum Ford Trucks

Finding someone to do proper repairs to the aluminum body is something I would be concerned about at this time. 'Proper repair' procedures include a dedicated work area and dedicated tools. I'd guess it will take some time for a lot of dealerships to be able to provide this, let alone independent shops.

I read on one forum (maybe this one) where a guy who worked at a Ford dealer said his shop had spent $80k in upgrades but weren't done yet. A lot of independents can't justify that kind of outlay.

I will say if a young person was considering getting into the auto body repair business getting certified in aluminum repairs would be a very smart move.

I know of one instance where someone took a damage aluminum Ford to a dealer to get it repaired. The dealer said that they figured double hours for aluminum. If it would be a 10 hr repair for steel, they would figure 20 hrs to repair the aluminum. They also said they charged double the labor rate, $120 per hr for aluminum instead of $60 per hr for steel.

I would think this would level out some as repairs became more common.
Dallas