Parts availability

[WormGod]

With my VX now in the body shop, and this being my first repair ever to one, I am a little up on the fence about the shop's speediness in finding the parts. I know others have, unfortunately, been through the same thing with their VX.

Did the body shop have any trouble getting the parts needed in a timely manner or was your VX put in the back of the shop a lot while awaiting parts? The main parts the shop will be ordering....

front cladding
left front fender cladding
left headlight assembly
hood (hopefully an insert too)
left front fender
steering components
suspension components
front left cladding driving light

Of course, I had ClearCorners light that got smashed up, and those are hardly going to be replaced, but I did hold on to the stock ones and just handed those over to the shop to save on the estimate. I also had to order the wheel and tire on my own and those will just be subtracted from the estimate and I will send those to my insurance.

Anyways, anyone who has had thei VX in a bodyshop, I would appreciate your feedback on this subject of body shops finding parts in a timely manner. (no, I did not take my VX to an Isuzu shop.... they all suck around here. if they couldnt get my Rodeo and Amigo right, they SURE as hell won't get a VX right!).

Thanks!

[hchen]

i damaged my frontend a year ago...had to get the hood, left/right fenders, bumper, lights...other little things that piece together the front. basically everything on the exterior from the window down....it wasnt as bad as it sounds....only exterior damage...

anyways...took the guy aboooout...3-4 weeks...and he didnt have the fangs afterwards...i had to order them from st. charles. cost me 6500 for all the parts and labor.

[CSTYLES]

Gary,
I've only owned my VX for a year and I've had the right front fender replaced twice. Once a deer and once a fence post. The first time I took it to Fitzgerald, they took over a month and when i got t back there were paint specs everywhere. The second time I went to Autobody Craftsmen on Gude dr, they were reasonable but I still had to wait about a month.
I assume you'll be getting new parts, the used ones take forever to get and most times they were listed but didn't really exist, so the estimate was doubled.

Good Luck with the repairs

[deermagnet]

Your damage looks amazingly similar to my deer collision damage, which occured right in the same spot. My experience may not be that relevent since it was almost 3.5 years ago. It was a $5,200 repair taking exactly five weeks to complete. It could have been done in three weeks except for a few parts that took so long to arrive. I can't remember which parts they were. My hood was all bent up, but the insert was undamaged. My original insert still looks great today with just a few small chips. The repair was perfect and I was 100% happy then, and still am today. I've been told my VX still looks new.

I never lost any sleep over that accident, even though my VX was only four months old with 4K miles. I've hit more than a few deer over the years and I guess I was almost expecting it. As long as it looks and drives the same after they're done, then it's as if nothing ever happened. I would be most concerned with them getting the steering and alignment fixed right. Mine did not have that damage.

A lot worse things can happen to us than a non-injury accident.

[-x-]

Not that this really happend (im in denial)...i had to have my front left fender, fender cover/claddin, front bumber, drivers headlight all replaced, and other nick nacks repaired (i.e. hood, frame) after a accident and it took the shop one week to do...x

[AlaskaVX]

The only thing I have had repaired is my passenger door when it got blown the wrong way by strong winds. It took them 3 days to get the parts and they were done in one day. This is just the hinges, etc. (innards of the door) and re-painting the fender and door.

[MZ-N10]

My vx is in a body shop right now for damages similar to urs i dont think i hit the steering or suspension but my cars been there for about 3 weeks now....they havent given me any word how how far they got or if they even have parts yet.....by the way did they tell u an estimate on how much its gonna cost to fix?
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[WormGod]

Hmmm, well, I am prepared for a wait. In all, Tom, the shop owner, told me he was familiar with the VX although they never had one in for repairs. He at least understood the similarities it had to the Trooper, which is a slight sigh of relief. Having done body and paint work for about 8 years, I know a few of the loop holes in the industry. Once the estimate is in, offer the techs extra cash if they will do an extra efforts job and give your vehicle special attention. That let's them know that the customer will take care of you if you take care of them. Kinda like offering a tip to the cook to make you a great steak. So, I am still waiting for the estimate, so I can make a cash adjustment in my head so they will pamper my baby. In all, I feel good about this shop. Having never gone there, my brother in law has been there 3 times (yes, he is wreckless) with his SLK and it always came back looking brand new. I hope that is the case with me.

Just looking forward to getting her back though. Only 2 days in this rental Ford Focus and I already feel like I am at the bottom of the food chain.

[Navigator]

...I've never had a problem getting parts fast from St. Charles Isuzu. Have your shop give them a call, shipping has allways been free, so that should save you a small fortune. If you don't have the number, it's 1-800-727-8066

[WyrreJ]

Having never gone there, my brother in law has been there 3 times (yes, he is wreckless) with his SLK and it always came back looking brand new.

Sounds like wishful thinking on his part!

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

After hitting a pheasant on the lower right front resulting in a blown bulb on the round parking light and a shattered right turn signal lens & bulb....I ordered a new one and about 5 days later and $10 for the O.E.M. lens plus 2 new bulbs she was good as new.

[SPAZZ]

try like $17,000.00 for rolling it and 2 and a half months for you to get it back and not all of it back.........still waiting on parts and not even sure if all bugs worked out..........

and talk rentals.............try an Echo....or worse a Cavalier for a month....... I am lucky that lady in the Lexus suv backed over it and I got stuck with a Dakota....but never been happier (except the day off the showroom floor) as when I got it back after those long and grueling 2 and a half months!!!!

[Mr. I-MAN]

How much of the 17,000 did your insurance cover?

[SPAZZ]

...........

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Wormgod....I was wondering if when you replace that left front wheel & tire if you might have the aforementioned TOD problem (confused TOD) due to a difference in tire sizes....the new tire being a bit bigger than the others which were (slightly?) worn. I think it is more critical on the rear-end since we are supposed to put the spare only on the front-end? Anyways...food for thought.