Damaged Tailgate

Had a utility truck back into my 2020. Still figuring out his insurance but curious about repair options. Is this a DYI? I see replacement parts for sale - not clear if it comes painted or not and how things are attached. Any thoughts?

 

DYI? Do Your Insurance?

Seems like if you have to ask, then yes, probably you'll need to have someone do it.

Replacing the taillight is a few bolts and unplug a few connectors. There's no adjustment/alignment necessary like the headlights.

The tailgate is about a 22 second swap. Maybe 30 if you don't have a second set of hands to unplug the wiring to the backup camera. That is assuming you have a painted to match replacement ready to swap on.

 

I always love the snarky online posters.

It looks like it is less than $1k. Not what Insurance is for.

Of course if the part comes as a whole tailgate it is an easy swap. From the parts diagram that isn’t clear - doesn’t look like it to me.

 

I had a lady ding the top edge of my tailgate in a parking lot. My Toyota body shop said they did not repair tailgate damage, they just replace with a new one and paint to match. Total cost was right at $1,800 and her insurance covered the entire cost.

 

Don't come here with fucking 10 posts and call comments snarky. Stay, learn and listen.

 

tailgates are not cheap, snarkly barlky mine got stolen, parts labor was 3k

 

whats less than 1k? not a tailgate
and there is no picture

 

That blows! Did you end up getting one of the tail gate locking mechanisms by Christian06, for your new one?

 

I didnt I got one from Amazon, and i lock it now lol. If your down by. san bernardino county you will see tons of tailgateless trucks , i see one everday

 

Fudging thieving scum. A plague of pustulant boils upon all their scurvid asses.

 

ikr , unfortunately most of them have records and dont care if they get caught and are remorseless so they will keep going

 

Are you mad that he told you exactly what to do and how to do it? Ya never got your balls broke by an old timer before and then they helped ya? Good luck bud

 

Until they get caught by the wrong one

 

very true and your in the right state

 

I prefer this method of caught in the act theft deterrence.

 

im guessing op is clueless , op can file a comprehensive claim , pay the deductible and carry on with life , or op can do the dyi route , pick your poison. or leave it looking like shit

 

Not sure how much your deductible is, but finding a good used one the same colour and then swapping it yourself is probably the fastest, easiest and cheapest route IMO....

 

I really appreciate those that shared what they have done to resolve the issue and what it cost them. In talking to the Toyota Dealership this morning, the OEM parts I find for $6xx are NOT just swappable. Need to be painted, and need to have a number of things moved from the existing tailgate to the new one. So all of that being said it does look like ~$1-3k will be the price as other suggested depending on how much of the work I want to do post painting.

OP is in the insurance industry, has high deductibles, which means these sorts of things are self-insured. In the not so long run saving me lots of money. Insurance and claims like this are NOT free - the house always wins. OP is quite the opposite of clueless. I hope that the utility truck company or their carrier will pay up but I don’t count on that.

 

What the heck?! And I get lectured by a particular Moderator for asking questions!