Well, I have personally seen the aftermarket cladding upclose on a friend's VX and it really doesn't match very well. Fellow past member "KeithVXlvr" (see his Photo Gallery) had both front and rear cladding replaced with the same aftermarket cladding by the PO (apparently, after some sort of accident).

The aftermarket cladding is inferior in two ways:

(1). The color/hue of the aftermarket cladding is much darker than the OEM cladding, and you will likely have to re-dye the entire cladding to make it match. For re-dying cladding questions-- please inquire with member VX-KAT.

(2). Most importantly; the aftermarket cladding has a distinct bubbly "grainy texture" to it much like lizard skin, whilst the OEM cladding has a much more smooth non-grainy texture. When using both aftermarket and OEM cladding on the same VX, it is quite apparent to the naked eye that they do not match and screams "Hey, this panel has been replaced!!!"


My personal recommendation is to follow the lead of your Auto Body Repair Shop and find an OEM cladding replacement (not aftermarket). Perhaps you may save a few bucks by buying the aftermarket front cladding piece; but unless you plan on replacing 100% of all cladding with the aftermarket version so that it all match's with its distinct grainy texture, then you will be sadly disappointed in the finished VX and regret your decision. Like they say-- you get what you pay for. You pay cheap, you get cheap.