Back Ordered Body Parts Long Wait

Had a small front end Pass side hit on my 2024 Off Road Tacoma. Guy backed into me with a small home made trailer. Dealers Body Repair shop Parts on order and could take up to 4 Plus months with no ETA date. I don" get it, truck is drivable but with winter coming in Mass. I will just park it and wait.

 

Unfortunately parts are not abundantly available when new models/generations come out, to worsen it body parts seem to have worse availability then mechanical parts.

 

Sadly, this is not just a new model or new generation problem. Our Sienna way past being new had a months long wait for a new body part and challenge to get a used one. We drove around a long time with broken plastic body work. In our company fleet common vehicles not in any way new or special have had waits like this. A cousin in large multi franchise dealer service management has had what to me would be horror stories for waits and not just pandemic related.

 

Yep. My parts guy is a friend of mine and checks every couple of weeks for ETA date. They told him don't call us will send when we have them. Makes me wish I kept my 3rd Gen. Off Road with a 125000-miles on it sometimes

 

Unsustainable there isn't enough industry to meet societal demands.

 

What cracks me up, is I have restored a couple 1969 Roadrunners and Never have a problem getting any part I need. They build theses trucks every day, I would think they would have a fair supply of Parts both Mech. and Body. Well Luckly I have my JK JEEP to drive Now I hope it does not break down. lol.

 

I dont get it?
If its drivable, why park it cuz winter is coming?

 

Not sure about the winter here in Mass. My area they like to poor the salt on the roads. Just don't wait a lot of that in the damaged area.

 

I get the rust aspect, wouldnt want to be an eastcoast mechanic or a EC vehicle owner for that matter...
But the area gets replaced so dont think you need to be concerned with road salt doing more damage....
Dont think you have anything to really be concerned with..

 

It's Toyota related. They practically invented lean just-in-time manufacturing, which is hugely susceptible to every small disruption in the supply chain.

 

I literally had the same thing happen to me. My collision happened mid-July and I'm still waiting for my truck. Something that did help was contacting the Toyota Brand Engagement Center. They were able to help push the process along faster. If I were you, I'd reach out to them.

Also, wait until all your parts have arrived before handing your truck in. Some shops try to push keeping your vehicle.

 

I think that manufactures should get fined massive amounts if parts are not available, this has only become worse since Covid.

Pretty much every vehicle is now like you want part X? Go wait 4 to 6 weeks… If you’re lucky.

And they keep using that tired excuse of “supply chain shortages” as if they haven’t been able to figure things out in the last four years.

 

This could have been one of the reasons Ram kept the 1500 Classic around as long as they did.

What if Toyota was still selling new 3Gs Tacoma Classic? Those might of sold at a premium with a market adjustment.

The 4Gs are great trucks, I have not driven one but any vehicle that you can't get parts for might not be as good as the one you can gets parts for. Which in today's world it's a lot of them.

Edit

The problem with fining the manufacturer the customer will pay their fines.

 

Well, it is my dealer's collision center. should go well

 

Yup....
Thats your best option, vs the independent body-hackers....
They know the product the best, & they dont cut corners.
Ive seen lots & lots of bad shit from independent big chain & small bodyshops over the lifetime of my career..

 

I think it’s a general myth dealer owned collision centers do any better work than independent shops.

 

This....

 

They do, but they want to sell whole trucks, they got our money now, so they don’t care.

 

My dealer is the exception to the rule. My first Toyota from them, but the insurance company suggested them for my wife’s Murano and they did an awesome job, good service too. Mind you it’s a separate outfit owned by the same dude. They fix all brands and do lots of insurance work.

 

Ive seen so many butchered cars from independent body shops!
indi's over look stuff or dont want the car totalled, dont want to turn-in another supplement estimate, etc, so the patch broken stuff that should be replaced back together all the time...
Have seen it many times...
Recently caliber collision had to replace the aluminum roof on my neighbors 2021 f150 due to teens tossed rocks & damaged roof...
He ignored my suggestion as he asked after he already dropped it off with Caliber...
Needless to say, after they were done...
My dealer bodyshop had to re-do entire thing & then some...
Used wrong self leveling silicone, looked like the rock mountains...
Used wrong rivets & damaged the back of the cab so we had to supplement & replace rear of cab also...
They taped off door jambs vs dealer paints the door-jambs & zero masking lines, need to know what to look for...
scratched his rear glass & caliber would have never added a supplement to replace it, as that would show their fault...
The front windshield couldnt even be mounted straight cuz roof wasnt aligned / installed correctly, wind noise due to air leak at front windshield....

This is just one very recent experience, over the years ive had to tell....

Couldnt tell you how many times vehicles would come to me for an overheat concern,
Me investigating, asking questions, turns out the vehicle was just repaired at another body shop front end collision...
The active grill shutters, destroyed....
or a couple wood-screws installed to piece the frame back together, that will work..
Yes, theres good & theres, bad....
But from where I stand, I wouldnt say "myth"
Some folks dont know the difference between good work & butchered.

Goes with everything, seen the pictures of my paint?????
Toyota bought it back, sure theres 100's of trucks out with flaws just like mine & owner is oblivious....
I refused 4 other trucks after my buyback at this point...