"Just Skin It” – Why That Facebook Post Made Me Lose Sleep
Every now and then, I scroll through a car group on Facebook—not even one of the collision repair groups, just your average gearhead/DIY/“watch me flex with zip ties” page—and I see something that makes my brain itch. Recently, I stumbled on a post from someone who’d been in an accident. Fairly serious hit—looked like both doors got nailed. The guy was asking the group what it would cost to fix, whether he should buy it back from the insurance company, and how to “cheaply” get it back on the road. Fair enough—people love their cars, and this one happened to be his wife’s favorite. I respect the sentiment. But then came the advice from the comment section… And that’s where my blood pressure left the chat. “Just put new outer skins on the doors.” “You won’t even see the damage once you cover it up.” “It’s all cosmetic.” “Bro, I did this on my cousin’s ’08 Accord and it’s fine.” Stop. Let’s talk. I’ve been in the collision repair industry for over two decades. And when I tell y...