My Dakota was involved in a good wreck by the prior owner. The drivers side frame rail is bent over and the bumper cover is held on with zip ties. Body shop said they can bend the rail back and straighten the steel bumper best they can, and replace the bumper skin and repaint it.

I got an eBay bumper skin coming. Body shop will charge $500 for the work mentioned above and do the best they can to align the hood and fenders, which are way off. I can fit my hand between the headlight and grill on the drivers side.

I'm tempted to spend the money even though the truck isn't worth it just to have it look nicer. I could save some bucks by doing the bumper skin in bed liner black, but I think it'll look silly.

Ideas?

 

If you're not experienced with body work AND don't think the truck would be worth it - leave it.

That's just my opinion because Ive been down that same road (although I enjoy doing body work) only to throw my money away.

 

doesnt look like a bad hit. maybe just shifted a bumper bracket or tweaked one a bit. 19mm socket and a half inch ratchet are all you need to find out.

 

It's pretty bad. This is a replacement cover that's been painted and covering up the mangled frame. I'll get a closer picture and post it this evening.

I have a new cover coming today ($80 from ebay). The body shop said they wouldn't even bother putting a new steel bumper on there- it'll never line back up. They would just put it into the frame straightener to get it close enough for the bumper cover to go on properly.

Right now the grill mashes down into it too.

I'm thinking about just dropping the $500 to have it look right.

 

yeah if the frame is tweeked a bit 500 bucks isn't bad with the other work added on too. once they get it as close as possible you can shim with washers or shift the bumper brackets later on. theres a little play in the slots.