I need the opinions of you great vcross mechanics out there. Here's the story. My son's '99 vcross needed a new thermostat. I took it to an Isuzu dealer, they don't see many of these cars around here so I'm somewhat skepitcal - I said are you sure you mechanics can do this job because it involves removing the intake manifold etc. The said they could fix it. We picked up the car drove for at least 20 minutes and within a half mile of home the car makes a bad noise and stopes running. We suspect maybe it's the timing belt. ( By the way this was the second engine in the car and it only had about 40k on it).

Towed it back and dealer said no compression, must be timing belt and engine ruined - said valves all bent. Well then I started to wonder about this and according to what I've read here this is a non-inferference engine. Like I said I don't think the dealer mechanics are familiar with the v-cross, I'm beginning to suspect that they just assumed the engine was ruined because they believe it to be an interference engine.

Could the engine be okay and simply need a timing belt? Is it possible that they screwed something up when they did the thermostat?

Heres' what else happened, our v-cross was vandelized in the dealership parking lot! Idiots supposedly got thru a razor wire "electrified" fence. Busted out window and tore up dash for a $100 walmart radio but they totally missed the $500 subwoofer and amp in the back!

So our '99 is sitting at the dealership lot until things get worked out with insurance - I forsee a fight over that.

But about the engine - do I try to find a decent mechanic to take it apart and see what happened? Thanks for any opinions on this matter.