What to do with hood hail damage?

[kodiakisland]

I feel like if I fixed the hail dents, I'd have to fix all the trail rash, creases, and dents everywhere else. I just keep it dirty so they're harder to see.

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[Muffin Top]

Obviously, I have insurance, but even though this is a no-fault claim, we both know that it will affect my rate at my next renewal. If the damage is around $500, I’ll just pay it out of pocket. If it is drastically more, then I’ll go with insurance. But what I’m wondering is if I should instead spend $1500-$2000 to get a fiberglass hood (Cervini or ADV plus paint). The hood is the only spot on the bronco that received any damage, so I wonder if going with a fiberglass hood would pretty much stop this from happening.

Economize, and maintain a positive attitude about those character lines. The more you spend on it, as luck would have it the more stuff will happen.

No repair, no fiberglass, and don't make any insurance claim ever.


A guy on an I-35 overpass near Austin shot my Bronco with a pellet gun (pellet because of his felony convictions). Did that guy just shoot me? At first, I was in denial about it. At least it was round shot, so it didn't break the paint too badly (you have to be looking for it), and now I have a story.

 

[Oldhippie]

Great excuse to get a kool hood!

 

[Iceman62]

I know the feeling...we're getting frequent & large hailstorms here in NE. Now my wife's Jeep was hit so doing the PDR hunt. We plan to call insurance & report, but pay out-of-pocket for fix as there aren't too many deep dings.

 

[TCoupe]

One option is to dent it all over and make it aerodynamic. JK!

I’d take it to the dent repair body shop and see what they can do. Suction and a ball peen hammer can work wonders.
I’m considering a plastic hood decal for my Badlands. We had some hail in my area recently but it didn’t do any damage, luckily.

 

[johnsonjame]

I live in Texas, and unfortunately, that means frequent hail. My last seven vehicles have all received hail damage. Before you say get a garage, I have a garage, but I also drive my vehicles and the hail always seems to happen when I’m out. Unfortunately, the bronco is the most recent casualty. The hood has five or six dents in it. With the frequency of hail here and the thin metal on the hood, I’m tempted to not fix it because it will probably happen again. But I can’t stand to see it on my practically new ride and it is right in my line of sight when driving.

Obviously, I have insurance, but even though this is a no-fault claim, we both know that it will affect my rate at my next renewal. If the damage is around $500, I’ll just pay it out of pocket. If it is drastically more, then I’ll go with insurance. But what I’m wondering is if I should instead spend $1500-$2000 to get a fiberglass hood (Cervini or ADV plus paint). The hood is the only spot on the bronco that received any damage, so I wonder if going with a fiberglass hood would pretty much stop this from happening.

Any thoughts?

Hail damage in Texas is brutal, I feel your pain! Given how often this happens to you, I totally get why you’re considering alternatives like a fiberglass hood. Fiberglass definitely holds up better to minor impacts compared to thin sheet metal, but keep in mind it can still crack under more severe hailstones. Also, fitting and painting a fiberglass hood can be a bit of a hassle and cost you close to that $2000 mark you mentioned.


If the dents are shallow, you might want to look into paintless dent repair (PDR) first. It’s usually much cheaper (in the $300–$600 range for a handful of dents) and won’t go on your insurance record. That could be a temporary fix while you decide on the hood replacement.


Also, some insurance agencies offer hail protection add-ons or discounts for protective covers. Could be worth discussing this with your agent to see if you can mitigate future claims impacting your rates.

 

[RlsTheBracken]

I owned a PDR shop in Colorado for several years, and I feel your pain. I’d tell you that your rates will go up anyway because everyone around you is getting their cars fixed, but I hate insurance companies and if it’s just 5 or 6 it’s not worth it. If you go the PDR route, I strongly recommend waiting until mid to late winter, when the insurance work has dried up and techs are screaming for work. Storms are getting worse, but fiberglass is pretty strong - never saw a Wrangler roof destroyed - so it could a good choice. I’ve got friends in Boerne, but I believe they know good techs in Dallas if you need one.

 

[5111]

Thanks for all the info. I’m not sure if fiberglass is a better option , but the entire Bronco was pounded for a while and the only dents are on the hood. Roof and fenders seem to be unscathed.

I’ll try to get it into a PDR shop for a quote in the next week or so.

 

[Valhalla]

Just a thought, get the free hood, start learning PDR at home on yours (slow and steady with tutorials from online...) swap hood and always have a project hood to get better on.

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