A few weeks ago, we were camping in the back country of Carrizo Plain. Overnight rain turned the soft dusty dirt roads into squishy slippery mud roads. I lost traction on a banked part and slid sideways into a big bush. The branches damaged the sheet metal on the driver's side of the van.
The metal is only dented, but the body shop says they would want to heat and cool the metal to shrink it back to shape. They wouldn't feel comfortable doing that unless that part of the interior was removed which turns this into a whole different kind of job. It is an EB-50 layout, but taking out that cabinet probably means removing much more.
Here are my options as I see it. What is your opinion?
1) Take the van to SMB West, let them remove/replace the interior and have a body shop in Fresno do the repair. Pro: Interior removal done right. Con: Big bucks and long time without the van.
2) Remove/replace the interior myself or find someplace in So Cal to do it. Pro: Don't need to drive to Fresno. May save some money. Con: Can I trust anyone other than SMB to do the job?
3) Live with the dent. It looks a little better now that the mud is washed off. Pro: Costs nothing. Con: Reduces resale value. Evidence of my poor off-road driving skills for all to see.
4) Buy a driver's side Aluminess ladder. Pro: Cheaper than repairing the damage. Sort of hides my shame. Con: Doesn't address the damage. Don't really need another ladder.
Any other options I haven't considered?