[ws669]

getting my rear bumper replaced from being rear ended, other guys insurance company told me they dont use oem parts, but that toyota sells the casts out to other companies and it should look exactly the same, anybody know if these parts are any good or do I need to fight for a toyota bumper?

Thanks

 

[hoofhearted]

Notice he said "should look the same". I wouldnt settle for an inferior part
so the insurance company can make more $$$.

Hoof?

 

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

Fight for OEM. I use to work in a very large and busy Lexus Body shop, and those bumpers are junk. They don't fit right, they don't take paint right, it is just a nightmare.

The other guys insurance company should not be able to dictate to you what you want on your car. I would go used before I went aftermarket. After all, if their insurer hadn't hit your car, you'd still have an OEM cover on there.

 

[Splicer]

I would try to get OEM. Insurance wants to use aftermarket parts only because they are cheaper.
There is usually a reason they are cheaper....

.02

 

[jpmorrisvb]

To my knowledge .... as long as OME is available they are to be used.

Check withyour insurance company. Just because your insurance is not paying they are still your spokesperson ... use them.

 

[05Moose]

You'll probably find you're stuck with the non-oem part. According to our insurance company last year (who BTW was NOT footing the bill because the other party's insurance was paying all of it), they said there are standard replacement parts that the insurance industry is allowed to use. This came up because the replacement wheel on our '05 highlander was not OEM and the color didn't always match based on the lighting. But we were stuck with it unless we wanted to pay the difference between it and OEM. I also remember someone in this forum was paying extra on their insurance policy for coverage that would only use OEM parts. So unless you've already paid for it, you'll likely be stuck with Non-OEM parts in some cases (those that are approved by the industry).

With that said, go ahead and argue with them because you have nothing to lose. You just never know what the outcome will be. Nothing is set in stone. Really, they should have totaled our vehicle when the damage cost them $10K and the vehicle was worth around $12K because it was never fixed like new (too many loud clunks over bumps they could never find afterward). A friend with a 1-year old Acura MDX got rear ended and it had to be repaired at a cost in excess of $35K, and she still is taking it back over a year and a half later because it still has problems from the accident. Yet there are others on here who've argued for the vehicle being totaled rather than repaired and won. So try, try, try...and I hope you're successful.

 

[ws669]

definitely going to piss me off if htey use some crap bumper, im goign to call right now and find out whats up, get them to use oem

 

[ws669]

insurance company stated that the parts dont always fit when its a plastic body part, but since its just the stock bumper and its chrome that its made by the same company that made it for production, stated if it doesnt fit right they'll have to fix it or put oem on there.

 

[toto]

The insurance companies will usually start with non-OEM parts (and your policy probably says they can unless you're paying extra), but on the other hand you must be 100% satisfied with the repair. If the insurance wastes their money painting something that doesn't fit, that's their problem. If you're not happy with the finished product because there's a problem with it, then you can demand that it be fixed properly and that usually forces them into an OEM part.

 

[linux4me]

What insurance company is this? If they won't use OEM parts when you request them without giving you a bunch of flack, I'd certainly publish their name here and let them know you're doing it. It's certainly not an insurance company I would want to use.

After this is all over, if they didn't give you the OEM parts when you requested them, it may be time to switch insurance companies.

 

[ws669]

its farmers insurance, the problem is I was rear ended so its not my insurance company, i fought this all the way to the top, they want me to pay the difference to use oem. stated its the same metal and same thickness and it was chromed by the oem company, and if it doesnt fit right or soemthing is wrong they will replace it with oem, i'm picking it up later this afternoon and i'll be inspecting the hell out of it.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

You'll probably find you're stuck with the non-oem part. According to our insurance company last year (who BTW was NOT footing the bill because the other party's insurance was paying all of it), they said there are standard replacement parts that the insurance industry is allowed to use. This came up because the replacement wheel on our '05 highlander was not OEM and the color didn't always match based on the lighting. But we were stuck with it unless we wanted to pay the difference between it and OEM. I also remember someone in this forum was paying extra on their insurance policy for coverage that would only use OEM parts. So unless you've already paid for it, you'll likely be stuck with Non-OEM parts in some cases (those that are approved by the industry).

With that said, go ahead and argue with them because you have nothing to lose. You just never know what the outcome will be. Nothing is set in stone. Really, they should have totaled our vehicle when the damage cost them $10K and the vehicle was worth around $12K because it was never fixed like new (too many loud clunks over bumps they could never find afterward). A friend with a 1-year old Acura MDX got rear ended and it had to be repaired at a cost in excess of $35K, and she still is taking it back over a year and a half later because it still has problems from the accident. Yet there are others on here who've argued for the vehicle being totaled rather than repaired and won. So try, try, try...and I hope you're successful.

That's me...I can't remember exactly how much extra I am paying, but it is a very small amount, something like $15 every six months. And it notes on my policy, "repair with OEM parts only!"

But I have to say I agree with TOYOPARTSMAN. It was their insurer that caused the accident, they are responsible for restoring the vehicle to the original state, in which it didn't have a aftermarket bumper on it when it was hit, why should he have to settle for one after. And why should insurance companies be allowed to do this! I would argue it with them til I was blue in the face and then some!!!!!!

 

[6shooter]

no way i would let them do that. screw them.

 

[05Moose]

That's me...I can't remember exactly how much extra I am paying, but it is a very small amount, something like $15 every six months. And it notes on my policy, "repair with OEM parts only!"

But I have to say I agree with TOYOPARTSMAN. It was their insurer that caused the accident, they are responsible for restoring the vehicle to the original state, in which it didn't have a aftermarket bumper on it when it was hit, why should he have to settle for one after. And why should insurance companies be allowed to do this! I would argue it with them til I was blue in the face and then some!!!!!!

My memory served me well. Anyway, my opinion is that if one can afford to go all the way to the supreme court, go ahead and argue. If the industry has approval from the government to use non-OEM parts (keep in mind it's for specific replacement parts, not all parts), then I don't think you can win. That's what we faced with State Farm and Hartford. They pointed out that with certain parts (like wheels), they're allowed to use non-OEM parts. Arguing with the insurance company isn't going to change the law. It's no different than the fact we lost several thousand dollars in trade-in value from the woman hitting us, but we are not allowed under the law to get compensated. We get hit by them, we pay the loss in value. That's the law.

I agree it sucks. I've been a victim too. But you may be putting a lot of effort into a losing battle. You just have to pick your battles in life. This isn't one you can win unless you have the clout to change the industry (and the politicians that are in their pockets).

 

[Splicer]

I may have been lucky -- or I may have been fooled. When our truck was rearended a few years ago, I was told the rear bumper would be an OEM part. Whether it was or not, I was unable to see any difference.

 

[6shooter]

^
you will if you ever hit anything with that bumper.

there are tons of aftermarket body parts available for most all model years of toyota trucks. i've used them many times when "spiffing up" a truck i'm flipping, usually it has been an 84-89 bodystyle or 89-95 bodystyle. i've used these parts because they are 1/4 the price or less than OEM, but the fact is that as with anything else, you get what you pay for...

the aftermarket parts are of notoriously lower quality. the bumpers specifically bend like a tin can. they are cheap.

 

[DanEz_yoda]

Hold the phone here.

I just replace a Chrome bumper on the 2007 SR5 DC and the oringinal bumper was a suprisingly thin piece of metal. I'd call it mostly decoration and ANY light tap will dent it. The bumper bar and my trailer hitch are what absorbed most of the blow and transfrred the energy to the frame (shoving me out into the intersection).

I bought a new OEM chrome bumper from my local toyota dealership (with online pricing) and it was the same cheap feeling light metal. I could handle it with one hand. Probably weighted ~20-30 lbs.

I took my old bumper and folded it in half with my hands before giving it to the scrap metal folks.

Nowhere near the heavy chrome bumpers of the old days. At any rate I got the OEM chrome bumper for ~$350 and the after market ones I lookend into were about the same price sowhy not got OEM.

Shame really because 3 days after I replaced my bumper with a sparkly new one, I backed into a 2' high parking pole I couldn't see and dented the Pizzz out of my new bumper.

I took teh bumper off and a hammered the dent as bese I could and declared it good enough.

You could do like I did and request a check instead of getting the service done at the shop. Removing the rear bumper, and the bumper reinforcement bar was not that big of a deal if you're mechanicaly inclined. My ins co (uninsured motorist coverage) give me $1500 to have Service King do the job and I was able to repare it for $700 + 4 hours of nonrushed labor plus + 1 skinned knuckle. ;p


As a side note:

My insurance is USAA and they require the use of either USED oem parts from salvage yards or after market replacment parts as their standard deal.

 

[BlackBelt]

Having been through this very issue 3 times due to other people hitting me, here's my take on it.
If your truck is under 2 years old and still pristeen (no scratches, you lovingly bathe it once a week and towel dry it, only drive it to church and the grocery store, still has the new car smell and you are using floor mat covers to protect the floormats from your socked feet...you wouldn't wear your shoes in such a lovely vehicle now, would you?....)... If your truck is in pristeen condition, yes, fight for the OEM parts to be put back on there.

However, if you are a MAN, and you take your truck off road, and it looks like an Abrams tank that's seen heavy battle, you've got scratches all down the sides, one of the headlights has been missing for months, it belches smoke out like a chemical fire, and when traveling in a straight line the body is cocked to one side, and one wheel is actually square, bailing wire holding the doors closed and the winshield wipers on ...you know...the way a REAL MAN drives his truck... If that's the case, really ANY part will be okay, OEM or not.

At the end of the day, it's still just a truck. You use it to haul crap from one place to another. Yes, we love them. But you have to realize that just as people get older and have parts replaced with non OEM parts, so do our trucks.

BTW, I had aftermarket parts used on my last Tacoma, and they didn't "really" fit. But it didn't affect resale value at all. So, whatever...

 

[DanEz_yoda]

However, if you are a MAN, and you take your truck off road, and it looks like an Abrams tank that's seen heavy battle, you've got scratches all down the sides, one of the headlights has been missing for months, it belches smoke out like a chemical fire, and when traveling in a straight line the body is cocked to one side, and one wheel is actually square, bailing wire holding the doors closed and the winshield wipers on ...you know...the way a REAL MAN drives his truck... If that's the case, really ANY part will be okay, OEM or not.

:facepalm:

Hell if your truck looks like that, you wouldn't even notice a damaged bumper, fender, hood, etc. Just take the insurance money and buy some stopleak. :lol:

 

[Dark Taco]

Here's an idea. You could take the cash from the insurance company and get an ARB or something.