Source of Quality Auto Body Parts?

[Craig]

Need to replace our front bumper, 2001 Ford F-150 ... oldest son, driving school "tuition", you know ... :

Dealer wants $425, and it just isn't worth that to us, so I'll do it.

Bought a DVD shop manual off eBay to make sure no surprises, and I'm ready to go ... just need the bumper. I note chrome bumpers for sale on eBay, but they appear to be cheap imports. Would prefer a Ford OEM chrome bumper.

Any shade tree mechanics out there with suggestions on other sources? I'll try the local salvage yards as well.

Thanks.

 

[Nords]

Charles, no offense, but I added the word "Auto" to your post's title. I thought this was going to be an urban legend post or something about third-world health care.

Some junkyards are surprisingly well organized these days-- database inventory & location maps. I've stripped a couple Tauruses just in case.

I've found great auto parts on Craigslist. If you post a "Wanted" you may hear from a local who's had a compatible F150 rotting in their yard. You could try the same "Want Ad" on eBay but you're more likely to get overseas spam, and if your community has a FreeCycle site you could post "Wanted" request there without the spam issue.

 

[Telly]

Good front end parts can be the hardest to find in a junkyard for recent vehicles. Because most recent vehicles that are in a junkyard got there because they were totalled... from the most common accident. Hitting something while moving forward.

If you live near a large city, there is probably a bumper exchange place around that many body shops use. Maybe you could find out from somebody local who it is, and then find out if they will sell retail.

 

[Craig]

Nords, thank you ... I'm still laughing at myself.

Would have been interesting to get home today and see how the thread had progressed without the edit, though.

Thanks for the serious suggestions.

 

[Leonidas]

Salvage yards usually are connected (used to be something like an intercom, probably computer now) so they can query each other for a specific part they a customer is looking for. Big cities often have places that specialize in refurbished bumpers. And there is always the pick-a-part places where you wander around with your own tools until you find what you're looking for and then remove it from a junker.