The cost of insurance seems to be roughly the same.
The new GMC Sierra pickup truck is currently focusing its attention on the carbon fiber bed option. However, the Ford F-150 was the pickup that received the most attention a few years ago. This was due to its heavy use of aluminum throughout the pickup. Although the truck was the best-selling in the world, it lost significant weight. However, the competitors relentlessly attacked Ford with accusations that aluminum is extremely expensive to fix and costly to insure.
The Future of the F-150:
It seems that the F-150 is in good shape after racking up a few years worth of real-world miles. A new report by Automotive News Repair costs for this aluminum-intensive truck may not be so expensive after all. Repair costs for the aluminum-intensive truck could be lower than those of its steel-bodied predecessors. In some cases, even less. a lot less. A Ford dealership in Texas had hail damage trucks in 2017, according to the report. Aluminum-bodied repairs can be up to $2,000 less than those made from steel.
How is that possible? Ford tried to make the repair process easier when they designed the aluminum-intensive truck. The modular design of the truck makes it easier to replace and remove components. This reduces labor time. The report also claims that prices for replacement parts are lower for at least some parts. It cites statistics from Highway Loss Data Institue which show total parts costs for 2015-2016 aluminum F-150s are down 16% compared to previous year. Ford dealers receive in-depth training on how to repair the trucks. However, not all dealers are as equipped to make cost-effective repairs like the Blue Oval dealer in Texas.
What about Carbon Fiber?
However, it appears that lower repair costs are not a one-off thing. In addition, the report mentions the Highway Loss Data Institute’s latest insurance data that shows aluminum trucks have a 7 percent lower collision severity due to lower repair costs. However, this is offset by an increase in claims, possibly due to aluminum’s less durable nature. It all works out and, when combined with strong education campaigns for Ford’s insurance adjusters, it appears that lighter aluminum trucks don’t cost as much to insure as older steel models.