Malibu wagon tailgate latch question.

[Longroof79]

Where the panel is cracked, you can 'weld' the vinyl plastic back together with an attachment that goes in a small soldering iron. Search YouTube. Bedliner will hide a multitude of sins...

I could see where the bed liner would cover up the ills, and would also help strengthen the panel. On my rear panel I used a light coating of good grade body filler(Rage) on some of the pock marks and and scrapes, and used SEM texture coating to help hide any imperfections. Then of course painted the panel with SEM Color coat.