Saw a side by side of a 1995 Ford pickup I fixed up last month vs. the same truck from a shop in 2005

The old shop used 3 coats of bondo and called it a day on a fender repair, but mine was all new metal with no filler over an inch thick - the difference in how it holds up over 15 years is night and day. Anyone else notice how much better panel replacement is now vs the mud-slinging days of the early 2000s?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_dakota24d ago

The mud-slinging days of the early 2000s" is right. Bondo just cracks out over time, especially on fenders. New metal holds up way better, no contest.

-1

the_oliver24d ago

Honestly, did you ever just look at a fender you patched up five years back and feel that sinking feeling in your stomach? Tbh, I've been there more times than I'd like to admit, especially with those early 2000s jobs where I thought I was being smart with the bondo. Ngl, it's like the metal just breathes differently than filler, and over time the bondo betrays you every single time with those hairline cracks. I feel you, man. It's a real gut punch when you realize you could have saved yourself the headache by just cutting and welding in new metal from the start. Solidarity on that one for sure.