When I clipped the car (the car was stopped and I was going about 50) the front left tire flew off and the truck hobbled on the axle for about 200 feet then I took a tree out. The insurance company won't total the truck so GMC is putting a new frame, new RCD lift, new bumper, hood, grill, fender, nerf bars, shocks, rotors. My question is the dealer, GMC, says the truck is going to be good as new. I jsut can't imagine taking everything off the old frame and putting it on a new frame being very reliable. The truck has 17,000 miles on it and I have $58,000 into it. I'm just afraid of the hit I will take tradeing it in for a new 06 DMAX. Please advise me if the truck is going to be good or get rid of it. Thanks.:help: Check out the pics

the frame is the biggest thing that screws a truck up when its wrecked. if they are putting a new frame on it i would keep it, it should be as good as new. just my .02

This thread will most likely be moved to the LLY section as it does not pertain to the Diesel Place itself. Thanks

I would Guess that it will be fine, as it will have the first hand care on the fit when they aline everything up. Just do not sign off on anything if something does not look, close or open as it should. I have taken older trucks a part, and you would not belive how far out of line things were from the factory. The frame is 95% of your problem area and the rest will be in the steering linage, and gear box. Make sure that they are changed even if they look good.
Just my $.02
Rich.

Thanks for the advice so far. The dealer says that it will take them about 6-8 weeks to fix. Keep the advice going to help me please. Thanks again

No problem, didn't know where to post it.

If you were going to have to trade it, I guess now would be the time to get the new one with incentives they are offering, unless that is only on the left over models. Then let them fix it and guarantee it.
Mark

Having worked in a body shop for a period of time, and having helped change a frame on a wrecked SUV, I can tell you first hand that the vechile is going to run very close if not exactly as it was before. Hardest part of a vechile to repair after an accident is a frame, changing out the frame insures that everything will be straight. As rich said, don't sign off on it until it is right though, sometimes the body guys miss something and it takes the customers eyes to see or your knoweldge of how the truck drove prior to accident.

Andrew

I' seeing a lot of views but no more replies. I hope that means that everyone agrees with what has been said so far. I think I have decided to keep it and sell it out right rather than trade it in and take a loss, so I can order an 06. I just would like to think that the 06 has fixed the overheat problem and of course I like the idea of more stock HP/Torque with the 6 speed Allison.

Keep it, it will be fine. Go and talk to the tech and see if he knows what he is doing. I have replaced about 5 frames on trucks and SUV's, and all have been fine. It doesn't hurt to let the tech know how much you love your truck and throwing a few bucks for lunch money goes along way to insuring a perfect repair.

I was told that after a frame is replaced that you end up with a salvage title, which nobody will want to buy the truck later because of.

Anyone know about this?

Tree fell on my 01 GMC HD.

I got rid of it after that. Lot's of other reasons but a major damage event is bad news for the future.

Hard to say what you should do. You have to get it fixed first off. Bust your butt and make sure it's right berfore signing the insurance check. Don't let them talk you into paying the whole cost at once.

Get some mods installed like a cowl induction hood while they are at it ;) at no extra charge since they are replacing it anyway. Other upgrades that are equal offsets might apply.

If you trade afterwards they usually do not add $$ for accessories so make sure they don't get them. Like guages, wheels, tonneau covers, bolt-ons, sound sysytems and the like. You keep that stuff.

Good luck.

I spoke with the service advisor at the body shop and he assured me that since it was going on a brand new frame that there would be no salvage title, that was a concern of mine also. I agree, I think I will make a trip down there when the frame comes in and see what the guys installing it drink. Who knows maybe it will help them add a little TLC. As for the repair costs, the insurance agent has already sent me a preliminary check and told me the checks will keep coming to me to pay as the cost keeps going up. I called the body shop and they said they don't want the money till its done.

I called the body shop and they said they don't want the money till its done.


Everything sounds like you have both a good insurance company and a good shop. Stay on top of it.

I hope you have better luck than I've had with "production" body shops -:t Small parts missing/left off the truck, bolts/nuts loose or stripped out, paint with defects on it, etc, etc, etc. I'm fighting with my insurance company and the dealership on the "remanfactured" bumpers they put on my wifes 2001 yukon. The bumpers have more rust on them than my 79 Ramcharger 4X4. Seems State farm and Farmers both don't think that a 4yr old truck that looks as good as new (see AAAA membership ;) ) deserves to have new parts put on it when it gets in a fender bender.


Prior repair was for 6K worth of hail damage to it. It's been back in the body shop twice after the initial repair, and is going back in next week again to see if they can get it right "again" :rant: I hate dealing with the freaken service people at dealerships....... I want to talk to the people who actually work on the vehicle. Won't go into the details of this 6 month long saga because it pisses me off so much. :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

Looked at getting a new one with all the incentives until I looked up what 2001 Yukon XL's are selling for now. I would take a bath on the thing, not to mention losing the ramaing 2yrs/40K miles on the zero deductible GMPP warranty I have on it.

i had an 01 chevy 8.1 gasser that had the frame replaced after i talked to a guard rail..truck ran and felt the same but it was always in the back of my mind that it had been hurt so i traded for my 4.5 dura...its a matter of choice i guess as the 01 ran well after and the quality of work done was fgine..ah always wanted a d/max anyhow..was a good excuse to trade up

I had my truck towed to fairway chevrolet in las vegas by referral. From what I was told there the only dealership in Las Vegas worth a s#*t for working on trucks with after market lifts, wheels, etc... I guess time will tell. So far I have been very happy with the estimator and the body shop manager ( both drive lifted DMAX's ).

I agree, I think I will make a trip down there when the frame comes in and see what the guys installing it drink. Who knows maybe it will help them add a little TLC.

Just don't have them drink too much of it before they start the work.:lol:
Mark

I hope you have better luck than I've had with "production" body shops -:t Small parts missing/left off the truck, bolts/nuts loose or stripped out, paint with defects on it, etc, etc, etc. I'm fighting with my insurance company and the dealership on the "remanfactured" bumpers they put on my wifes 2001 yukon. The bumpers have more rust on them than my 79 Ramcharger 4X4. Seems State farm and Farmers both don't think that a 4yr old truck that looks as good as new (see AAAA membership ;) ) deserves to have new parts put on it when it gets in a fender bender.


Prior repair was for 6K worth of hail damage to it. It's been back in the body shop twice after the initial repair, and is going back in next week again to see if they can get it right "again" :rant: I hate dealing with the freaken service people at dealerships....... I want to talk to the people who actually work on the vehicle. Won't go into the details of this 6 month long saga because it pisses me off so much. :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:

Looked at getting a new one with all the incentives until I looked up what 2001 Yukon XL's are selling for now. I would take a bath on the thing, not to mention losing the ramaing 2yrs/40K miles on the zero deductible GMPP warranty I have on it.

I had the same problem with State Farm and my Camaro. I got rear-ended and they wanted to put a non OEM bumper on it. Well they did and the sidemarker lights didn't even fit flush in the holes. The body shop guy was pissed too, but said that was all the insurance company would buy. Well the adjuster came back out and agreed with me and the body shop that it looked like $hit so i got an OEM bumper!

My insurance co. authorized all new parts ( none used ) for anything damaged, also all new after market parts included. It sounds like I got very lucky with my insurance.

My insurance co. authorized all new parts ( none used ) for anything damaged, also all new after market parts included. It sounds like I got very lucky with my insurance.


So, help the rest of us out and clue us in to the insurance company you are using):h

It sounds like you have good people working together on the whole deal, so I would not be too worried about it. Like has been mentioned, give it the white glove/fine tooth comb inspection before signing off on it.

Vic

The Insurance Co. is thru my credit union, Allied Insurance. I'm at work right now so I don't have the 800#, if any wants it let me know and I will post it. When you get the insurance policy, you just have to tell them you have after market parts and you want everything fixed with OEM stuff and there shouldn't be a problem. I switched to them from State Farm because it saved me a lot of $$$$$.

I have Allied for commercial liability insurance. They've never helped me out like that!

The day after it's fixed, trade it in. You and I both know what it's going to be like driving a "wrecked fixed" truck. It's like marrying a hooker, drives nice, but deep inside you know it's tainted goods.

The day after it's fixed, trade it in. You and I both know what it's going to be like driving a "wrecked fixed" truck. It's like marrying a hooker, drives nice, but deep inside you know it's tainted goods.


:lol: :ro)

If I fixed it myself or really trusted the repairer I would not think twice about keeping it. If you have the slightest doubt about the shop,dump it quick. I would atleast make them save all the old parts so you know for a fact what they replaced. Changing a frame is not that involved,most parts are swapped in assemblies,cab,engine,tranny,axles,ect. I could do a frame swap correctly while I was still a teenager.I personally think you have an uneasy feeling about the shop or you wouldn't have posted.

No uneasiness, just not mechanically inclined. The dealer stated that everything that is repaired will have a life time warranty for the duration I own the vehicle, that makes me want to keep it because now I allegedly have a life time warranty on the lift as well. I just have that feeling as stated earlier that I know the truck has been wrecked and I know that will always be in the back of my mind if I heard a funny noise or anything different.

The frame is in and there changing everything over. Lets see how long it takes and if they find anything else wrong.

I would love to see how much this is gonna cost your insurance company. I guess it beats writing it off though. Glad that you're alright.

Try this ask the dealer how much a trade on your perfectly repaired ruck is worth, and do it while the sale is on with the 10K sale price it might be worth trading, PLUS you get a new truck TODAY.

I never would have thought that they would change a frame rather than total it. That labor bill must be HUGE!

Well actually, the bill will be high one way or the other, but the insurance company is taking the gamble that they will pay out less, some times it works sometimes it doesn't

I thought hard about trading it in. The thing that is keeping from trading it in is #1 I would like the 06 with the 6 speed tranny, which wouldn't be here till sept. or aug, #2 the new body style in 07. I talked it over with the wife and we are going to see how it runs as good as before for one, then if its runs fine we'll wait and see what the 07 looks like and decide then. The dealer is saying that it will be better than before and are giving me a life time warranty on everything they fix for as long as I own the vehicle, which sounds like a pretty good deal considering now that the lift is under full warranty.

This is my truck all fixed and ready for towing the boat. I just wanted to thank everyone for the input and to let yall know that I'm keeping her. I am very pleased with all the repairs that were made and haven't noticed anything wrong.

Looks good. I Don't think it would even be possible to tell it was wrecked if we didn't know.

Damn... That's my truck when I get it back all completed... I'm gonna have a hell of a time waiting. Next time I am in Vegas I will keep my eye out for it. Keep us informed on how things go with it.

NIce looking truck! I am glad it all turned out well for you.. Do you like the GMC over the Chevy?

I just prefer the look on the front end better on the GMC.