Why is it taking so long to get auto parts?

We called up car dealerships on Friday to see how they were feeling about the United Auto Workers strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Bottom line: They’ve got enough inventory to weather a disruption for now, but that could change if the strike drags on.

But those dealers brought up a separate issue that’s affecting their businesses: long wait times for some car parts, which can mean long waits for drivers to get their cars repaired.

These backlogs are persistent even after some of the supply chain snags and microchip shortages of the last few years have improved. 

Most parts are pretty easy to find these days for Brian Moegelin, owner of Brian’s North End Automotive, an independent repair shop in Burlington, Vermont. That includes tires, brakes and exhaust and engine parts.

But there’s a 2015 Chevy Volt he takes care of that needs a rear spring. And he said the only place he can get it is from a dealership.

“I ordered that spring, I want to say back in May,” Moegelin said. “And there’s still no date as to whether, you know, when I’m going to see this spring.

Moegelin is running into the same problem a lot of dealerships are facing right now, said Todd Campau with S&P Global Mobility. 

“Typically, dealerships prefer obviously to use the genuine branded part for whatever brand they’re servicing,” he said.

And those brands, including Ford and GM, are still playing catch-up after that chip shortage, said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Carfax.

“Now, while demand for new cars is pretty high, they really want to prioritize putting parts into those new cars versus into repair parts,” he said.

And that’s a problem, Olsen said, because our old cars are getting older. 

“People are holding on to their cars and maintaining them,” he said. “And that’s great. But it also means that parts fail and people wind up in accidents. And so that overall age means that there’s just more work that needs to be done.”

There is one factor that could increase the supply of auto parts, said Campau at S&P Global: the UAW strike. If affected automakers slash their production, suppliers could turn their attention away from parts for new vehicles. 

“If this strike elongates, you could potentially see Tier 1 suppliers set up tooling to build back their repair stock,” Campau said.

So maybe that Chevy Volt in Vermont will finally get that spring it needs.

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Article QuickTakes:

I recently spent $7,000 on an automobile. That money didn't purchase a decent and still-running car, however. No, that money only bought a pair of headlights for a 2019 Volvo S90.

I placed the headlight order (a dealer-only item) nearly a year ago. At the time, the Volvo dealership parts manager couldn't give me even a rough estimate on when the lights might arrive.

If that sounds like a long, expensive wait to you, it may be even more disappointing to learn that, for some vehicles, it's increasingly difficult these days to find certain parts. Unfortunately, factors including supply chain issues make some used cars extremely difficult to repair.

Supply Chain Issues and a Chip Shortage

COVID restrictions hindered the manufacture of auto parts globally, affecting availability for both new and used cars.

Additionally, a semiconductor (or micro) chip shortage contributed to a reduction in new-car production of around 20 million vehicles. New-car prices have risen by nearly 30% over the last three years, which has likely contributed to increased demand for used automotive parts.

The Internet and Dealerships Don't Have Everything

Junkyards and auto-recycling centers often stock thousands of parts — but that doesn't guarantee that the exact one you need will be available. Online databases such as Car-Part.com can show where the used part you need might be in stock, but even popular online retailers such as eBay and Amazon have issues with counterfeit parts. If you see a rare auto part for sale that dealers no longer offer, it may not be the real thing.

Although it might seem reasonable to assume that your local auto-parts store will have whatever you need for your vehicle, newer or more advanced parts, such as adaptive headlights on a late-model Volvo S90, often are available primarily from branded car dealerships, meaning there are simply fewer places to get them.

Part of why it can take a while for non-dealership aftermarket parts — particularly safety-related components — to be sold for newer vehicles is the complexity of the regulatory process. Getting approval for new automotive technologies can be a lengthy and complicated endeavor; the manufacturers that develop these parts also tend to file legal patents, adding another layer of time, effort, and cost to secure licensing rights.

Use Technology and Fellow Enthusiasts to Your Advantage

One thing that can help you find the right parts is knowing where to look. Online sites including eBay, Craigslist, Amazon, and Car-Part.com can offer a cornucopia of used auto parts.

If you own an older vehicle, chances are there is an online site that caters to your specific model. By searching for your exact vehicle online and adding the words "enthusiast forum," you may find a place where car owners with your same car type are selling the parts you need.

Discontinued Brands and Less-Popular Models Present Challenges

Another issue that can make used-car parts difficult to find is the fact that manufacturers often do not offer replacement parts once a vehicle is out of warranty.

In some cases that warranty time can be as little as three years. Owners of vehicles made by discontinued brands in particular — such as Saturn, Saab, and Pontiac — can be victims of this limited supply of replacement parts.

For example, when my used-car dealership business bought a 2004 Saturn L300 sedan with 60,000 miles on it, we found that many of the exterior parts and engine components weren't available. To get the vehicle running again, we had to create our own air intake for the engine using generic clamps and hoses.

Another time, my dealership purchased a Volkswagen with a V8 engine that required a fuel pump module no longer available at the dealer. To get the part, I had to contact a friend 600 miles away who went to a salvage yard to pull the part from a junked car. These kinds of solutions, which rely on a certain level of mechanical expertise, are not always possible for the average vehicle owner.