Recommendations for Body Shop in Lincoln Nebraska

[2001ZR2]

Long story short my son goes to school 3 hours from my home and was in a wreck last.

Everyone is unhurt but the truck has damage to the front fender and hood. He turned into a car going straight while turning left.

I am looking for a good body shop in Lincoln for wreck repair.

Thanks

 

[Mooseman]

All I can recommend is to stay away from Maaco and similar places. Look up local shops and check out Google reviews although be wary of fake reviews.

 

[TollKeeper]

How bad is the damage? If the damage is light enough, you could always perform the replacement of panels yourself, and then use a good body shop for the paint. It would save you some money in the log run.

 

[2001ZR2]

 

[Maverick6587]

That's not terrible but that would be a lot of work if you had to replace/repair that inner fender. Getting that right so that the fender and hood line up would be rough if you have no previous experience. That hood hing could have gotten lifted/shoved backwards as well and that's not fun at all to mess with.

I just can't tell the inner fender's condition with it being that dark. If it's not too bad or in good condition then it looks like you would just be swapping out the fender, hood, bumper cover and headlamp.

 

[TollKeeper]

That looks to be an easy repair, but I have not had to mess with the inner fender liner on the GMT360. Its definetly something I would tackle still. I bet if you look, you might even find the same color, and may be able to forgo the paint shop entirely. I cant tell is that green, blue, or black?

 

[TollKeeper]

I see your in Kansas, but I dont know where. There are a couple guys on Craigslist parting out some Trailblazers around Wichita, Topeka, KC, and other areas. If thats a Black or Dark Grey, there is a couple that are being parted out. Havent seen a blue or green one yet (not sure of the color of yours).

 

[2001ZR2]

I am in KC area and it's a graphite gray. I do have insurance on it so I can get out for the $500 deductible.

 

[Maverick6587]

You'll probably be in the $200-$300 for replacement parts at the junkyard depending on what all is broken and your local yard prices. You might have to replace that front bumper and possibly the front door, I couldn't see the front door very well either. It looks straight but, it could be bent outwards (away from the vehicle).

Can you get a better pick of that inner fender? Have you done any panel work (R&R) before?
If you can't find a local yard with the exact color of your vehicle I would probably just pay the $500 to have a shop do all the work. Since at that point you would have to pay a $100-$200 to have those panels painted.

 

[TollKeeper]

@2001ZR2 and @Maverick6587 , The concern I would have is that it is still a 2002, and the value is not that high. and it may total it out. I have seen other GMT360's on copart with much MUCH less damage that are totaled out. So if you want to turn it in (i would), buy the truck back, and put the parts on yourself. Its going to be a fine line here thou, because the insurance company is going to look at retail value of the parts, and thats where the value to repair is going to be hard hit.

 

[TollKeeper]

For example, I bought this 2005 Buick Rendezvous CXL Sport Plus last August with 89k miles that was totaled out. Very VERY similar damage to your TB. Value of the truck was 6000. I bought it for 1050 bucks, Put a fender (salvage), headlights (brand new), headlight panel (salvage), and lower bumper cover (salvage) on it. my parts cost was 350 bucks (new headlights were 220 bucks by themselves). But the point is, it was totaled, for work that took me 3 hours to fix. I still need to have the fender painted, but that should be done for about 100 bucks. Picture below for reference.

 

[2001ZR2]

The insurance company is going to total out the vehicle as the cost of the repairs are 84% of the actual cash value. I can make the repairs and the truck would be on a salvage title. The highway patrol has to inspect the vehicle before an on road title can be issued.

I am thinking about my options. We can let the truck go and start over but I have made most if not all the repairs that are typical of these trucks. Also is has 4 tires with about 5000 miles on the them and probably 95% of the tread life.

I can have the truck repaired in Nebraska and haul it back to Kansas for an inspection but I wonder if their is an agreement so that an inspection by the state of Nebraska would be accepted in Kansas.

I also can save a few bucks by making the suspension repairs myself if nothing else as there could be hidden damage.

 

[TollKeeper]

In Colorado, when you buy back a vehicle, you just keep your title, and carry on like nothing happened. Go get it fixed, and have a nice day. Not sure how Kansas/Nebraska works. But I would think, since the plates that are on it, are yours, and are registered to you, and the truck will still have insurance, that you could drive it to Kansas, and do what you need to do.

 

[Mooseman]

When they totalled my wife's car and I bought it back, they wouldn't insure anymore for anything but for liability.

 

[TollKeeper]

When they totalled my wife's car and I bought it back, they wouldn't insure anymore for anything but for liability.

Thats just weird. Both my Rendezvous, and Aztek, have both been totaled, by my current insurance company (State Farm), and both have Full Coverage.

 

[Mooseman]

Could have been the value. It's a 2002 CR-V. If they wouldn't have stopped it, I would have. Not worth it anymore.

 

[TollKeeper]

My Aztek is not worth it anymore either. For me, it only costs me 11 a month for the full coverage. If something happens, that affords me 2 weeks of a rental, plus a bit of a pay out. Is the car worth it, no. But its a negligible cost, if that makes sense. Same with my Envoy, with a clean title. Its value is so low, but at 9 bucks a month (spare car insurance, under 5k a year miles), its worth it.

 

[Mooseman]

It's costs more here for comprehensive, like an extra $400/year depending on the vehicle.

 

[Maverick6587]

I need to move! It costs me $90-$100 per month for limited liability!

 

[2001ZR2]

Hey just a quick update. First thank you for letting think out loud on the board and working thru the decision process.

I am keeping the truck as I have too much sweat equity in it along with a S*** ton of new parts.

I will drag it back home so I can be involved in the repair either by doing work or being able to come and see the issues. This will occur next Wednesday and my wife is allowing me to resurrect the Suburban Assault Vehicle. It's getting new tires as the ones on it are worn out and a few other things. I realized that I haven't replaced the shocks in the 16 years and 180k miles I have had it. They are in need of replacement but not a crisis item. Now I will gear it up for vehicle recovery aka towing and as vehicle to sacrifice for snow driving with the idiots who have no clue how to drive on it.

After pricing things out it's not the body panels that are killing me but suspension parts as a new steering knuckle is over $570 but I pull one from a pick and pull.

I guess I will have to start a thread to show progress.

 

[2001ZR2]

Phase one of mission to recover the truck is going this weekend. I am rebuilding the entire front end on my 1997 Suburban Assault Vehicle. When I replaced the tires nothing was too loose by itself but all together the alignment shop kicked it back. So new Tie Rod, Ball Joints, idler arm, and pitman arm are on the menu for this weekend. In addition the wheel hubs will be replaced the drivers side has a little play. Also the brakes are on their last legs guess letting two teenage boys drive it uses a lot of brakes very quickly. Also replaced the shocks as I have had the vehicle for 16 years and 180k miles and haven't replaced the shocks in that time. Have to check the paperwork but I did spend money too make it right after I bought it.

Did get lucky when a U bolt broke while it was on the lift for tires. All the U bolts were corroded down to about 3/16"

Damnit you think GM could build a better vehicle as 307k miles and 23 years is not long enough for me.