Newbie here.Just got a 2005 Dakota SLT Club/Extended cab with a 6’6’ bed. Moving up from my old 2002 SXT regular cab. Any way I bought this car back in the Midwest and has rust around the rear wheel wells. I went to two quality body shops here in Denver and they want between $1,200 and $1,400. Both shops said that I could expect to see more issues in a few years. Then I got some Craigslist’s quotes and they were at $925 and $950. The truck has 100k on the odometer and to me doesn’t justify that kind of money for a short term fix.

Then I started a lip stick on pig quest for fender flares. I have spent hours looking for the fender flares to fit this model. I can find lots of choices for the short bed but only one product, Bushwhacker at $490, for my bed. I do need a rather beefy product as the rust on one side goes up 4-1/2 inches. Anyone know of something less expensive? What are the views about grinding off the rust and putting on a rust inhibitor before installation?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very appreciated.

Thank you for your time and feedback.

 

have to agree; $500 plus for molded plastic...what should be $250 worth of fender flares....add $400 to have them paint to match

cheapest way is to fill it with fiberglass body filler...sand it smooth and then spray it with bedliner...won't look as nice as flares but its decent and $100

 

PSI flares would likely fit, (I installed mine to cover a repaired rust hole as well) they'd just look a bit funky with the cutout for the fuel door. And they are $240 so quite a bit cheaper than the bushwacker option.

 

Great idea, thank you.

 

Thanks for the idea, I appreciate it. I can live with the gas cap indentation.

 

Try this,www.carid.com. Lots of items,take your time and look,Keep in mind Good parts aren't cheap, and cheap parts aren',t good.Just a thought...............

 

Thanks for the link. Wouldn't it be great if that was true. I grew up with "you get what you pay for" but those days have long since past. Just spent real money on a tonneau cover and they want want to send me a third one because the first two were defective. In my experience the only axiom that holds true today is "buyer beware".

 

The OEM TRX flares are another option, but they aren't cheap either. (See below)

They are a perfect fit though.

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they do look good.
thanks for the link

 

Follow up on the project. I went with the PSI fender kit, thanks for the tip ODXBeef. I was able to purchase them for $220 on Ebay (best offer), free ship. Other expenditures include Dupli-Color degreaser, $8.65 (also works great on the stainless grill exterior, be sure to rinse it off), 6 cans of Dupli-Color spray to match from Amazon $45.50??, one spray can of Bulldog Adhesion Promoter$26.45, (a complete waste of money, another example of not getting what you pay for), one spray can of Dupli-Color Adhesion Promoter, $7.56 (great product), 3M scuff pad, $3.02, and finally one ProMaster scuff ball $10.72. Grand total was $321.90Steps to prep and paint:

1. Cleaned with wax and degreaser cleaner
2. Scuffed with gray Scotch Brite pad.
3. Cleaned with very hot water and Dawn.
4. Scuffed with 450 grit ball attached to drill.
5. Cleaned with very hot water and Dawn.
6. Cleaned with isopropyl alcohol.
7. Cleaned with wax and degreaser cleaner
8. Primed metal pieces (faux bolts and washers) with Rustoleum metal primer - 2 coats.
9. Primed plastic pieces with adhesion promoter - 3 coats per directions.
10. Painted metal parts with 3 coats.
11. Painted plastic pieces with 2 coats.

Time to prep and paint the fender flares 3-1/2 hours.

The rust was remove and rust inhibitor and a black solvent sealer were applied.Time to remove rust, apply inhibitor and sealer, and install fenders, 9 hours.

Thanks again for everybody’s help here.