I feel inclined to put my position on this subject in context - with no intention of being contentious.
I am not a life long truck/car guy. I dabbled in my youth , then get the itch as a retired guy. I got a truck that was a modified mess. The truck needed work , I needed help. I do not possess the full skill set required to make my truck roadworthy and respectable. So - Lots of need , limited skills - very limited budget. Challenging criteria. I wanted to do as much of the work myself as I could , for reasons of limited budget and to enhance the sense of making the truck "mine". I think most of you can relate to that last part. I got a lot of help where I needed it. My welding skills are minimal , and I lack the equipment. Someone else welded a lot of new steel into my cab - firewall , & floors , pretty much total replacement. Needed to be done. Fenders , doors , tailgate --- these were parts I could remove and work on myself. The entire box now that I think about it. My wife's car did not fit in the garage for an entire year while I worked on those body parts. ( She was very patient ...) While I lack welding skills I am real good with fiberglass. The rear fenders were rather ventilated , now they look great. Solid too. I get lots of compliments.
My rattle can driver will never be a show car , and that's fine with me. It is a great ride and I really enjoy the smiles and questions I get everywhere I go. The resale value means nothing to me. My kids will fight over my truck after I'm gone- they want it. So does my wife. Maybe they can take turns.
In summary , a good argument can be made that steel replacement via welding is superior to fiberglass/epoxy repair. That doesn't mean , however , that epoxy and fiberglass are not useful in body repair. Kind of like blacktop vs concrete for your driveway - Concrete has it's advantages , but blacktop sure beats dirt and mud.
