I'm not really familiar with the body repair industry and I'm curious about something: If a body panel is easy to replace, say a front fender, do they ever get repaired any more?

For example, on a 2007 Lambda (Acadia/Outlook/Enclave).

Like in the olden days, a lot of stuff would get repaired, but with thicker metal and less-easy parts availability I can see why.

Mine got hit lightly right in front of a front door, and now the door catches on the back of the fender as it opens. I started pulling it out but the metal is so thin that it just kind of starts wrinkling downstream. I've straightened other stuff like this in my past with pretty good luck, but that stuff was thicker gauge metal and moved pretty predictably.

Probably easier and cheaper to replace the panel. Might even find one pretty cheap in a yard.

That'* what I'm thinking.

That'* the problem. The victim is an ultra-rare (and ultra-collectible) Saturn Outlook. They hardly ever show up in yards, and when one did, I got the proper fender off of it with slight damage to the trailing edge from the yard'* fork-loader. It was the right color and all. I thought "well it'* a lot better than the one I have so I'll grab it". I thought I could bend it back out again, however, the metal is so thin that working it at all creates new defects while not fixing the original problem.

When insurance looks at it, that is one thing they weigh, repair time/cost vs replacement cost. They can also typically source a part too.

That'* what I was thinking too. This fender is easy except for that one 10mm bolt behind the fender liner under the foam.

I guess that clinches it: Unless I can find a good fender in a yard I'll have to buy one new, get it all together, then take it to get sprayed.

Shouldn't be that hard to find a yard that has one.

The problem is that it'* ultra collectible.

None of the self-serve yards around even have that model. I actually just ordered one from RockAuto for ~$90.00 . I figure if I'm going to have to paint anyways, a ~$60.00 premium is worth it to get the part now and get this thing back on the road.

Good idea.