(suggestions wanted) Pro Tip: don't let the radio antenna get pulled out of your roof - pictures included!

[UnregistredHypercam2]

TL;DR: Garage door had a loose cable hanging from it. Antenna got caught up and ripped the entire antenna assembly from the roof.

Body shops now quoting me anywhere from 1-2k to fix the dent, repaint, and install a new antenna assembly.

If anybody can recommend a body shop in the greater Denver, Colorado area that won't charge an arm and a leg to fix this; please reach out. Insurance wants to code this as an at-fault collision and I'd prefer to avoid this because I have not registered/insured my truck in Colorado yet.

Any suggestions or ideas are welcome. Half of the quoted costs of the repair stem just from labor getting the headliner down due to the amount of trim panels that hold it together.

Here's the cable hanging there mocking me. I just moved into this apartment 1 week ago and they stated this is a new garage door opener. I guess the tech who did the install doesn't care about the finer points of cable management.

Current state of my antenna:

Below you can see the bottom bracket of the antenna assembly, this is attached from inside the roof and somehow was pulled through (likely caused much of the damage above)

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[UnregistredHypercam2]

live and learn.

Living and learning for sure. The biggest issue I struggle with now is trying to decide if I make an insurance claim or pay out of pocket. I need to register/insure my truck in CO within the next 60 days and a claim will certainly not help, especially considering I am 23. I have an independent collision shop quoting me just under $1k for the repair, and the local Ford dealer is quoting me closer to $2k. As I already owe $500 for the deductible, I am leaning towards the independent repair fully out of pocket.

 

[DT444T]

Rip your antenna


If you can afford it I would suggest paying for it yourself to save putting a claim on your insurance.

>edit: My mom used to work in insurance and I ran your scenario past her and she suggests paying the independent body shop to do it with your own money. For the same reason: to avoid a ding on your insurance.

 

[UnregistredHypercam2]

Rip your antenna


If you can afford it I would suggest paying for it yourself to save putting a claim on your insurance.

>edit: My mom used to work in insurance and I ran your scenario past her and she suggests paying the independent body shop to do it with your own money. For the same reason: to avoid a ding on your insurance.

My mother is in insurance now and she suggested the same thing, I am pretty well set on paying out of pocket. I'm negotiating with the Ford body shop to see if they can get close to the independent shop since I feel better about having it done by Ford folks - body shop manager thinks he can work with me so at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[DT444T]

That's good. And, for what it's worth, the damage is on the roof and NOBODY is going to see the repair job. Yes, you will know it's there. But nobody else will.

 

[bfastr]

I dont see a dent from the pics posted. cant it be re-attached without a lot of body work?
I mean even if there is a ripple in the roof, it is visible from ground level?
only catch I can think of (from my lazyboy recliner) is having to remove the headliner to get back to the underside for mounting.

 

[UnregistredHypercam2]

That's good. And, for what it's worth, the damage is on the roof and NOBODY is going to see the repair job. Yes, you will know it's there. But nobody else will.

Way better than the cosmetic issues my old car has. I feel like this truck is officially mine, now that I've broken something.

 

[UnregistredHypercam2]

I dont see a dent from the pics posted. cant it be re-attached without a lot of body work?
I mean even if there is a ripple in the roof, it is visible from ground level?
only catch I can think of (from my lazyboy recliner) is having to remove the headliner to get back to the underside for mounting.

oh man I'm double replying, you ghosted me while I was typing the last response

Visibly it doesn't look bad at all, however the antenna assembly won't sit flush/seal on the roof now and I'm concerned about water/debris getting in the hole. I would have just slapped it back on if the fitment wasn't awful.

 

[OFC Ranger]

ultra black gasket maker. Put a health dose down, smoosh antenna base down, let sit for a while, avoid looking at your roof moving forward, Profit?

 

[Jim C]

i had an issue nearly the same ( didnt pull out the antenna) but i took it to "dent doctor" 100 bucks & then to the dealer to replace the seal on the antenna that was about 300. cant tell a thing.. looks great

 

[bfastr]

oh man I'm double replying, you ghosted me while I was typing the last response

Visibly it doesn't look bad at all, however the antenna assembly won't sit flush/seal on the roof now and I'm concerned about water/debris getting in the hole. I would have just slapped it back on if the fitment wasn't awful.

Ah, ok, makes sense. sorry to hear its as bad as it is. I understand the frustration of banging up a new car even in a minor fashion. hopefully they can sort it out and not cost you a small fortune.
maybe they can tweak the roof back into shape without having to cut/sand/paint. etc.

I put on one of those stubby antennas. which wouldnt have helped. might even be worse as its billet aluminum. and for the record the super short replacement antenna sucks. you dont get HD FM with it.

 

[DT444T]

Ah, ok, makes sense. sorry to hear its as bad as it is. I understand the frustration of banging up a new car even in a minor fashion. hopefully they can sort it out and not cost you a small fortune.
maybe they can tweak the roof back into shape without having to cut/sand/paint. etc.

I put on one of those stubby antennas. which wouldnt have helped. might even be worse as its billet aluminum. and for the record the super short replacement antenna sucks. you dont get HD FM with it.

Which antenna did you get? I almost never listen to the radio, anyways, so it's not concern to me.

I got this one

 

[OFC Ranger]

Which antenna did you get? I almost never listen to the radio, anyways, so it's not concern to me.

I got this one

I got a stubby too. It made it so I didn't have to cut a small clearance hole in my rack flooring.

 

[bfastr]

Which antenna did you get? I almost never listen to the radio, anyways, so it's not concern to me.

I got this one

thats the one. and I live in the Nashville area, I can get radio without an antenna, but the full function of the FM with the staion ID etc no longer works

 

[DT444T]

I got a stubby too. It made it so I didn't have to cut a small clearance hole in my rack flooring.

I got it because this is my garage door clearance and when I put the angry tires on in the winter it'll be even closer and I don't want to wind up like OP. I know an inch might as well be a mile, but when there's no real downsides (as terrestrial radio blows anymore) I'm just gonna do it.

Smol gf's hand, for scale.

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