what everybody is saying about a new panel is true.i just dropped off my truck today at a top of the line body shop (bmw, volvo, mercedes, etc. in the lot). i won't go anywhere else. anyway, i got a couple of quotes for work and both guys said "new door skin" and my damage is nowhere near as bad as yours. there is a lot of it, but no big gash. those pics you posted are horrible. i don't do bodywork and even i would tell you to get a new panel. let alone the gash, thatmetal is way too stretched out for a repair. it's a replace.

 

Mine is an '02 QC and when a guy hit the back and side of mine, they replaced the entire right panel...and it only a had a "small" dent just before the bumper. It didpush/twist it a little as it was rubbing the tailgate on that side. Not too bad though as the gate still worked. The bumper took nearly all the hit (was peeled back to where it almost stuck straight out behind the truck). My newpanel is good, and the red paint actually matches well, believe it or not. However, somebody got carried away with the buffer 'cause it has big a$$ swirl marks in a zebra type pattern that you can see when the sun is on it full bore. The other small issue I have is something is still not 100% square. With the tailgate down, one of the cables is tight and the other has some slack in it. Before, they both were tight. Just things to check after the repair. Anyway, with a gash like your truckgot and the way it looks like you keep your truck in top shape, I don't think you'll be happy with anything but a replacement, and even then you'll have to check it close. Good luck.

 

thanks for everyones input, they didn't call today saying it was finished. so it'll probably be tomorrow.

i'll take a look at it and decide what to do, and make sure they aren't charging the insurance company for a new panel. if so i'll get em.

thanks again.

 

Iconcur with everyone.....call your insurance folks and raise HELL!!!