Previa CDX 2001/2 Parts

[Dobie1]

HI

My silver previa is a 7 seater 2001/2 CDX automatic petrol. It's done 120k miles approx.  

It has had quite a few repairs lately and it's been a struggle to get parts for it.

The exhaust was blowing recently and my local garage couldn't find a new exhaust for it saying they had been discontinued.  Fortunately the body workshop was able to repair it ... this time.  

The drive shaft had to be replaced and after getting the wrong part delivered (even though it was the right part number), it looked like the only option would be to buy one from Toyota Japan for £1k+.  Luckily the garage managed to get the right part from someone in Birmingham in the end after a lot of internet surfing and trying to match the part to the photos.

I'd like to keep using my previa.  I'm not a mechanic so I do rely on my local garage to keep it on the road. 

Just wondering and thinking ahead (eg a new exhaust), what do other previa/estima owners do for their parts?

Thanks in advance