About a year ago a "friend" of mine backed into my 05 GT while it was parked with his uninsured F250. He said he would pay but a year later he has still managed to weasel out of it so I guess I am paying out of pocket. The hitch punched a hole in the front bumper cover and there is a crease right in the middle of the tip of the hood. Most body shops I have taken it to said they couldn't fix the hood because it is aluminum and a replacement stock hood is going to cost $1600.00 before even getting painted. My question is should I just eat the cost and replace the hood? Or should I look into replacing it with a fiberglass one from a company like Cervinis? Any help would be appreciated
Sorry if I posted in the wrong place I'm new here...

 

First off......I would beat your friend until he coughs up the money due to his stupidity....
second, I would not buy a stock hood for 1600.00 and not even including paint. I would get a cervinis hood, saleen hood, trufiber hood...those are just some of the options. Def make your friend cough up the money though, think about it if you hit his truck and you weren't insured he would probably beat the hell out of you too for the money to fix the damages.

 

tell your insurance it was a hit and run which isnt far from the truth. have them cut you a check to buy oem replacements then take that money and buy the cheaper nicer parts fiberglass hood that you never have to worry about corroding and a specialty bumper like the california special, Roush, Cervinies whatever you like

 

What he said!

Give your insurance company the stiff! And then use the broken hood to beat your idiot friend over the head with.

 

I think you need another friend. Friends own up to their mistakes and pay for them.

 

+1 to what he said!!!

 

make sure to call a cop in a parking lot first. insurance people won't talk to you without a police report.

 

I did file a police report after it happened and talked to my insurance company after it happened and the police did absolutely nothing about it and my insurance company told me that because I don`t have collision (being 21 it would cost me $3600 a year) and only comprehensive (fire, theft, vandalism, deer etc.) I am not covered for hit and run or uninsured so basically I have to find a way for him to pay me or else do it myself. I am definitely looking at cervinis hoods now though there is no way I`m paying 1600 for a ford aluminum hood that will probably bubble and corrode anyway. Any suggestions for fiberglass hoods on a satin silver GT? Do cervinis and trufibre hoods usually fit pretty well right out of the box? I saw Cervinis can even pre paint for you but on such a light color I'd be worried about it blending with the fenders..

 

I dunno what insurance company you have, but most aren't paying for OEM parts.

OP, there's no point in protecting the person that backed their car into you, you may as well just tell your insurance company who hit your car, the fact that it was uninsured at the time, and that you have been trying to work it out with him but have been so far unsuccessful. That way they have all the information and can pursue him to recover the money they spend.

EDIT: OP, just read your response, and that sucks about not having coverage for it. I'm surprised they let you have comp but not collision up there. But anyway, sounds like you're a bit SOL. I would let a shop do all the painting for you, otherwise, like you said, you're going to have matching issues. Pre-painted is ok for small things like mirrors or spoilers, but for a large panel like a hood? You want it painted somewhere than can blend the fenders as well.

 

Ya insurance in this province is terrible, mostly everywhere else in Canada I would have been covered. On the bright side my front end will look brand new and I'll have a cool new hood and bumper!