Isuzu ute vs AMMI saga (not me fortunately!)

jazzeddie1234

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May 19, 2016
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We are currently parked in the PCYC caravan overflow, Broome. I very nice spot but I digress... Started talking to the neighbor as you do, particularly as he drives a 2011 Dmax. It turns out he is stuck here trying to sort out an insurance claim against some hire company, and his insurer AMMI. Someone reversed into the rear wheel, pushed the diff out of alignment, damaged the axle shaft and it drives funny.
So here is the story so far:
- AMMI don't have an assessor within a 1000kms of Broome and won't approve anything until one looks at it. And no, a report from ISUZU will not do
- They insist (to start with) that any repair must be with new parts
- Isuzu (yes a small dealer is here) "never has issues with rear diffs" so has no spares in the country...!!! That's a minimum of 8 weeks just to get the parts if they can be bothered. BTW I had the same issue when I needed a part for my driveshaft...same stupid wait
- I suggest contacting a diff recon place and yes Melbourne can get a second hand one, inspect and dispatch if required. I also suggested contacting a holden dealer as the diff in a 2011 colorado diesel is identical but that may tip AMMI and the Isuzu dealer over the edge
- Oh the Melbourne place says "we do AMMI stuff all the time so who told you it had to be new?"
- AMMI says "OK but we will only freight to Darwin....!!" and don't forget the assessor ... and no, we won't cover the cost to truck the ute to darwin

While I hate insurers in general, the idea that Isuzu doesn't carry some parts for it's only model is just staggering

And the story has got me thinking about what I would do differently. I have the usual RAC roadside assist upgrade for remote breakdowns and caravan recovery but what else if they drop me off in a place like Broome?
 

Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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I would not be pleased either, what a predicament ........................... Many makes don't carry certain items and even with the top cover for Roadside assistance if like me your rig is 20ft or more you still may not towed as the local towie doesn't have the truck and the insurance is not worth a cracker .......... I have the top RACQ cover but got stung when my alternator blew, Sunday arvo out near Inglewood QLD, got towed back to town and being Sunday nothing could be done so dropped me off at the towns free camp and took Ute to his yard, next day hook back up and he takes me the 100km to Goondiwindi for repairs, had to pay for the van park at Gundy because the tow was broken at Inglewood, if I had got towed to Gundy in one go they would have paid for the park, just threw arms in air, said "Bother It" and got on with my holiday, I do wonder when I'm way out what might happen and maybe a bonfire.
 
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Drover

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With split runs he can use the Hi Lift Jack on them when he gets bogged.
 

Crusty181

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Feb 7, 2010
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Lol @Crusty181 i was just wondering whether or not you have to leave the split rims in the imported said ( arriving one day apparently) vehicle to be able to tow the van legally?
Comes factory with tubeless 697s. No need to ditch them with 1320kg load per tyre, i think i should be right. Still got enough spare to carry the Jeep on the roofrack

With split runs he can use the Hi Lift Jack on them when he gets bogged.
Just loop the drag chain around the bottom of the tire
 
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BJM

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Sep 29, 2018
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This debacle re lack of spare parts is now vehicle industry wide.Just in time ordering is a fact of life.Under the Aust consumer law after a reasonable time of no repairs undertaken ,(in my case with the Jeep 2010 Grand Cherokee ,under warranty no stock of front cv axle assembley in Aus,,6 week wait ,b....t from dealer.) which was deemed to be around three weeks by my solicitor,you can have the vehicle independently repaired,and send the account to the insurance company/ vehicle manufacturer etc.They are legally liable to reimburse you.of course they still may make things difficult.!,
 
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Drover

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Thankfully not having any warranty I would order spares from the USA and have them here in a matter of days while Jeep couldn't get them from Melb in that time not to mention the huge savings in $$$$$ and its the same with the Colorado .......................I suppose I'm lucky or Rcy but in 48 years I've ignored the warranty and never had problems, saw how my vehicle was serviced by the dealer way back and didn't go back, a few times over the years with a new vehicle I would take it in for a service, again a poor job and now I don't bother.

Well I suppose thats lost AAMI a few customers, most insurance mobs stipulate new parts, actually if it whacked it that hard to damage the diff, tail shaft and gearbox would be suss as well unless its pushed the axle out of line and it was driven a bit afterwards and growled the pinion bearing and a few other things, so much can go wrong when the rear axle moves.
 
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jazzeddie1234

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May 19, 2016
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AMMI call centre didn't know where Broome was either...
By way of an update the neighbor probably spent 4 hours a day on the phone over the past week. With helpful advice from AMMI ranging from ship the ute to Sydney (!!! and then what...), don't drive it at all (easy for you to say), sorry the email we gave Isuzu was incorrect (more bounces than a basketball game), and yes you can talk to a manger if you plan to open a formal complaint.

They have agreed for the Melbourne crowd to recon and ship a diff (did he know how remote Broome is...for the nth time), and for Isuzu to fit it here in Broome. I suggested a Perth based recon place with a solid reputation but that was a step too far.

Interesting how a recon outfit can redo a diff in a week and Isuzu need 8 weeks to source parts from overseas???

@Drover the pinion seal is history based on the oil puddle but I have no idea what tests Isuzu did to eliminate other problems like drive shaft, transfer case and rear suspension (which I would have thought would be pretty suspect)