My Camry was 'hit & run'

[kippy]

Hi all,
I have a 99 Camry LE, 4 cylinder, with two tone paints (creme white & gray). Earlier this evening in Santa Ana, CA, someone hit my car while it was parked on the street and left the scene. Someone has backed into my front left. The front left fender is smashed, front bumper scraped and the signal light is gone. I don't have collision insurance coverage but I have $500 deductable comprehensive coverage. The comp. will only pay for any damage or loss other than damage with another vehicle. Now I have to pay out of my own pocket for the repair.

Questions:

1. Has anyone buy auto body parts online and has no problem with the package shipment? Anyone experienced with eBay?

2. Is there anyway I can get the paint code on the Camry to buy the same matching auto paint in an aerosal can? Where can I get auto paint that closely match Camry creme white & gray colors?

3. Any suggestion on how or better way to get this repair at minimal cost?

TIA.

[I4 to V6 Swap]

Man, that sux. I might have a left front fender, but it would be black, and i might have the corner lens too. I got it off my donor car for an engine. They were used, and I would sell them. I will be at the So cal meet at shakeys this weekend of 2-21. Let me know.

[Rapeacivic]

Sorry to hear that man If someone did that to my car and I found out who it was, that person would no longer be a member of the living

[MenaceSQL]

I have bought from several Toyota dealers online and I recommend www.1sttoyotaparts.com. They have the cheapest prices online that I know of and they have excellent customer service. All questions that I have had always get answered by the next business day if not sooner. If you want OEM replacement parts, I highly recommend these people.

[Stealth]

Just realized you can get the v6 gen3 coolant tank for like $37 off there... that is the same as the 4 cyl one right?

I'd also like to know about the spray paint cans... I'd want one for my hard to find color code.

[Kensuke]

1. Ebay is great as long as the seller has a good rep.

2. All Toyota paint codes since about 1990 are printed on the vehicle ID plate located on the inside of the driver's side door or B-pillar. That plate also gives you transmission type, engine type, vehicle code, place and date of manufactuer, ect.

I don't know where you can get the paint, but if you have the code, I think any decent auto-body shop should be able to help you.

3. Yes, Ebay...and a lot of patience. I would only use Toyota as a last resort. They usually have the parts, but will charge you a premium. A friggin' transmission lever bezel (nothing but plastic)set me back $50.

Sorry for you troubles.

- John

[bronzemaxell]

Originally posted by kippy
Hi all,
I have a 99 Camry LE, 4 cylinder, with two tone paints (creme white & gray). Earlier this evening in Santa Ana, CA, someone hit my car while it was parked on the street and left the scene. Someone has backed into my front left. The front left fender is smashed, front bumper scraped and the signal light is gone. I don't have collision insurance coverage but I have $500 deductable comprehensive coverage. The comp. will only pay for any damage or loss other than damage with another vehicle. Now I have to pay out of my own pocket for the repair.

Questions:

1. Has anyone buy auto body parts online and has no problem with the package shipment? Anyone experienced with eBay?

2. Is there anyway I can get the paint code on the Camry to buy the same matching auto paint in an aerosal can? Where can I get auto paint that closely match Camry creme white & gray colors?

3. Any suggestion on how or better way to get this repair at minimal cost?

TIA.

i think the cheapest way is do it your self if you are handy, go to junk yard or at ebay, buy the whole left fender if you dont' want to hammer it out. and buy the corner light.
i did that to mine, cost me about $50 for the fender, another $15 for the paint from pepboy, base color and a clear coat, and $20 or $30 for a corner lamp on ebay. that is a poor man solution, estimate 3 to 6 hour labor.

[a94autoCamry]

ouch kippy that sux, yea maybe you should come down to the TN meet @ shakey's so i4 to v6 swap can help you...
heres the thread for the TN meet @ shakey's
everyone is welcome~
http://www.toyotanation.com/showthre...5&pagenumber=4

[Dawgz]

someone hit me the same way and in the SAME spot as they hit u, check my post,

http://www.toyotanation.com/showthre...&highlight=hit

[jhbhatia]

Just go to your local junk yards, and pick the best fender and corner light...go to the bosyshop and get your bumper resurfaced..and tell them to paint the fender as well..that would be your cheapest alternative! (going online...you will get new products, but if your painting it.....it wont matter if its new or used)

[kippy]

Thank you all.

I'll go ahead and order the fender off of eBay and repaint it myself. Now I just have to buy one extra spray can to practice with the painting technique. I do have the original side signal len since I replaced it with the clear signal len. For the bumper, I think I'll have to scuff out the scratches then repaint.

I couldn't really find what color is from door panel code : C/TR-28Y/FR40. But I found the original sticker of the car information when I bought it brand new off the lot. It says Two Tones Diamond White but there's no information on the bottom half color. I'll try to take the original fender to the autopart and just test out the color there.

Believe it or not, before this incident, this Camry was spotless. The car was well taken care but high highway mileage. Now I just get so pissed every morning I look at my car. I'm getting it fixed ASAP.

[Kensuke]

Actually, it's staring you in the face.

28Y is the paint code. FR40 is the trim code. Ignore the trim code.

The "28Y" has both colors encrypted into it. Toyota themselves, paint manufactuers, and auto body shops can get both colors matached perfectly by using that three digit code. That's because Toyota only used a limited number of schemes. This is assuming you still have the factory colors.

http://www.brandsports.com/toyota/t_up_paint.html

Try it.

- John

[jhbhatia]

Pre gallery series there WERE no dual tone camrys (minus the 1996 two tone limited edition with DPW as the top color). However, you see tones on the road. I myself have a two tone (pre gallery series) camry. To get teh bottom color is not just look up vin or ctr number. It took me 2 years to find the perfect color code that my car came with. The thing was...Gulf States had an option to make a single tone camry to two tone. THey never indicated what was the bottom color being used (for my car). Afte ra long long time, i found a memo that gulf states sent to dealerships in 1997 that indicated the color choices available...and from that memo, i found out my bottom color. Unfortunately, no toyota dealership or looking up VIN's or ctr numbers guided me in the right direction. Surely, a body shop has two ways to know the color, using a beam-guide machine (or lazarguide machine) and/or taking a chip of paint to analyse that..but i wanted perfection to near 'brand-new' hence my ordeal. Hope you don't go through the same...if you do...let me know, i'll have to dig up that old memo from 1997!