Looks like I need a tail gate

Someone damaged my tailgate while my truck was parked in my driveway. Not entirely sure what did it or how, but there are several hard hits to the tail gate and a crease near the handle. No damage to the canopy hatch or bumper though so I'm thinking it wasn't a vehicle.

Anyone know how much a new shell costs generally? I don't think the tail gate is fixable with the crease. My deductible is $500 so I'm almost thinking it'll be cheaper to have fixed myself versus a claim.

 

It'll buff out. Did you try buffing it out?

 

Everywhere the paint is damaged is a dent, like someone beat the truck with a stick.

 

Could it be that someone was in the process of stealing it and hit it on something when opening it?

 

eBay sells painted Tacoma tailgates for under $400. It doesn't come with hardware, so you can just transfer the old ones to the new tailgate.

 

It's from having a TRD sport... Sadly that damage is from the desperate soccer moms that married ford or Chevy drivers. She was simply trying to get in your bed and tear her shirt off after seeing your scoop on the hood. The dent is where their "buy American" brainwashed hubby beat her ass and drug her back to make him a sandwich while he worked on the truck again. HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME, (just not to the non-scooped guys)

 

Seriously though, paint match and move on. Its still nicer looking than an F-150. The only person who'll know the difference is you, and that shirtless, soccer wench.

 

This may be a dumb question, is it possible that someone swapped their damaged tailgate for yours? Its not too hard to do. Seems like a lot of damage if your truck was just sitting there. Just a thought.

 

Good thought!

 

Can mine be buffed?

 

Probable. Tailgate can be switched in seconds.

Now I've gotta go lock mine in place. ..

 

little more involved with that backup cam...i doubt it was swapped. you sure you didnt back up into a branch or something?

 

Even un clipping the backup camera cable can be done in a matter of seconds.

 

There's a quick connect for the camera so you can easily remove your tailgate

 

according to the OP he has a "canopy". Wouldn't stealing/swapping tailgates be a much harder process with the locked canopy in place? I wouldn't think it would be as easy, unless you pulled the hell out of it to open it, but I've never actually tried to.

 

Do you happen to live anywhere near kuffer14 ?
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/truck-painted-with-bed-liner.387804/

 

Call your insurance company. Vandalism should be covered.

 

With some cap models it's actually not too hard to open the tailgate

 

I'm positive the tailgate wasn't swapped. The Snugtop pretty much would have to broken open to open the tailgate and the top plastic trim of the tailgate still has the same gouges I put in it a few months ago. I'm also sure I didn't back into anything, the truck hasn't moved for a few days and the last time I did drive it definitely wasn't damaged. The only odd thing was there was zero indications of what hit the truck. The only thing I'm thinking is maybe a contractor or city crew with an odd utility trailer used my driveway to turn around. They've been doing a lot of work in my hood and some of the equipment they tow definitely is the right height to hit just the tail gate.

Called my insurance and I have a $500 deductible so I'll probably just fix it myself. Are the eBay tailgates at least OE quality? Is it pretty easy to swap everything over?

I'll probably keep this one and either sell it or save it for when it's the least damaged part and I no longer care about a little dent....

 

Nice truck.