Dent in tailgate, need suggestions

Noticed this the other day. I have no idea what happened or when, it must have happened this past week sometime. I leave for work early in the morning when it's still dark so I probably wouldn't have noticed it right away.

Anyway, anyone have any ideas on making it look better? I went to body shops in the area and everyone wanted $515-540 to fix it, although one guy said he'd do it for $440 if I paid with cash. I really want to fix it but I don't want to spend that much.

My redneck idea was to take the top plastic piece off and drape a towel on both sides and put a piece of wood on each side and compress them with a C-clamp and see if it would push the dent out. If it worked decently well the top plastic piece might cover up the remaining dent.

Or maybe I should just drop the dough and have it fixed right. The $440 won't break us but I could sure think of other things I'd rather spend it on.

 

I think that will just give you a nasty crease. But it would be a free crease.

 

That is a nasty crease already without forcing it out.

Hit craigslist for a tailgate

 

I think you can get a color matched tailgate on ebay for $350.

Don't know how good it looks though

 

call a Paintless dent repair guy..It may be to big, but it would probaly be cheaper if he could do it. Hell, for $500 you could almost get a new tailgate.