What Happened to being able to get small parts?

[Shenandoah MF1760]

I've had a rash of these things happening to me lately.

The picture shows a hydraulic diverter valve on the tractor, I was clearing some brush and the plastic screw cap came off that keeps the solenoid on the bottom coil from falling off.

Not a major issue, I popped the solenoid back on and used the screw cap from the top one to keep it in place. I reasoned that gravity would keep the top one where it belonged.

So... I try and buy a new screw cap. Can't be done. The dealer is willing to sell me a complete 3rd assembly for $700+, but they did show me who made the diverter valve.

However, the manufacturer only sells complete units for ~$150.

So, I get out the thread gauge, figure out what I need, and order a nut from McMaster-Carr.

The next one was my portable generator.

It had a CPS carburetor where a flimsy plastic post broke off that kept the idle spring in place. No way to repair it that lasted. Get new carb for $100+. 3 months later idle spring rusts out and breaks. Can I get a new spring? No, you have to buy the entire carb if you want one.

I now have a box of assorted springs I got from Amazon for $10, to replace what is probably a ten-cent part.

There are other examples but I won't go into them.

It seems like replace, instead of repair, is the way things are done now.

I don't like it.

 

[Mike1955]

I agree. Should be against the law to sell something and not provide parts for several years. The computer and Amazon are our only friend

 

[akguy09]

I doubt a dealer would/could afford to stock every screw or bolt for multiple machines....it doesnt make financial sense, they would have to source those parts from a third party just like the consumer. McMaster-Carr is your friend

 

[YLee Kioti]

I doubt a dealer would/could afford to stock every screw or bolt for multiple machines....it doesnt make financial sense, they would have to source those parts from a third party just like the consumer. McMaster-Carr is your friend

All this being true, skips one point, the dealer.
For the dealer NOT to work with one of his customers and make him happy and loyal, by helping him find the part to order (at least give him a hint to mfg. so part finding can be made easier), but no, he chose to sell him a new assy.
Folks with that attitude I used to tell'm to pound sand.
The older I've gotten the sharper my sarcastic quip has become on the way out the door.

 

[jyoutz]

I’ve run into similar situations at times. I’ve found that often if you call the manufacturer and talk to a person in customer service, they will send you the small part, and sometimes gratis. Even if they don’t show that part on their website as being sold separately.

 

[YLee Kioti]

I’ve run into similar situations at times. I’ve found that often if you call the manufacturer and talk to a person in customer service, they will send you the small part, and sometimes gratis. Even if they don’t show that part on their website as being sold separately.

Indeed...I had bought a Ag 15 gallon spray tank from Ful-O-Pep.
Left it outdoors with handle.
This year discovered the handle had split open.
Empty tank does not equal empty spray system...DUH!!!
I openly confessed my ignorance and the lady at the company had a good laugh and sent me a new spray handle, now a spare.

I had gone back to the Co-Op and discovered they sold some spare parts and got a heavy duty sprayer.
But now will go to the Ag Spray company for future items thanks to their customer support.

 

[JasperFrank]

Lately I've been losing faith in brick and mortar stores. I 'll have a list of little parts I need. And when in town, I look for these in what should be the usual places. Lately I've been batting zero. And these are not, to my mind, unusual items. Yet no one has any in stock. A recent eye opener was trying to find a mini, recessed incandescent lamp. A very common stock item 5 years ago. Ordered on line. Another was garage door bottom seals and window seals. Had to order online. Tires for my car, only online. Temp regulator for small stand up freezer. Online only. Local Yamaha dealer no longer carries any parts for my motorcycle. Car part stores carry near nothing for my 1993 car. Even a four pack AA battery holder, not found in the local hobby shops or elsewhere. 5 inch plastic ducts for portable A/Cs..... nope, had to order online.
Maybe its a generational thing, that folks just don't fix their stuff anymore. So why stock any parts for it? Or, what I think is a huge shift, that you are told you have to go through a parts store to get a part. Which they mark up, when you could do that your self. Or attempt to make the little part your self using the old part as a template.

 

[RandyT]

As a small engine dealer owner/service tech the dealerships have the same issues as their customers when it comes to parts. New engines that only repair parts offered are the muffler, carb complete, air filter with housing complete and the recoil starter assembly complete. Can't get the ignition module if you loose spark. Can't get a rewind spring if it breaks, can't get the oil fill cap if the customer looses one. Can't get the air filter without the housing..

Part diagram will show a greyed out engine with a generic picture of the muffler, carb, air filter, and starter with item numbers 1-4. That is the complete parts list offered to the dealer. Aftermarket parts catalogs that were 2500 pages 2 years ago are not 1500 pages. Then they will show new items in the catalog but if you try to order one of those new parts they will say NLA.

Some OEM's tell their dealers to locally source nuts and bolts for repairs. And talking about having parts available for so many years after sale. I run into cases where the OEM will stop making a product and will remove all parts and parts diagrams from not only their websites, but can't even be found when doing internet searches. They will treat it as if it was never made.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

I think, and this is my opinion only. That a lot of this was due to a decision by Congress years back to tax inventory.

This made for a very short influx of funds before companies eliminated warehousing or sent it out of reach of the inventory tax by placing it outside the country.

Now the only things that are stocked are high-turnover items constantly being sold and replaced, or specialty items that are accordingly priced to offset the inevitable tax.

Yet another thing to prevent items from being made here.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I was restoring Model A Ford's in the 1980's my local Ford Dealer was still able to get parts for me... after 50-60 years.

Points and Condenser USA made... no problem.

Need a new Model A carburetor... again no problem...

1957 Ford with broken taillight lens... no problem.

All those longtime family dealerships no longer exist... replaced by super stores outside town.

When I worked at the Tool and Machine we always had folks coming in with part in hand...

Lots of times we could help them out even if the cost seemed high because the alternative sometimes would be new costing thousands of dollars.

A Boiler Castings with a corroded fitting snapped off might cost $1500 vs. an hour of shop time to renew.

 

[chim]

Buy it - break it - toss it - buy another has become a standard. Gone are the days when you could take a mixer or toaster to the repair shop down the street and get it fixed at a reasonable price.

 

[jyoutz]

Buy it - break it - toss it - buy another has become a standard. Gone are the days when you could take a mixer or toaster to the repair shop down the street and get it fixed at a reasonable price.

If it takes 1 hour of labor time to fix a small appliance, is it cost effective to pay someone to fix it?

 

[ultrarunner]

Nope…

Only way it works out is if you have the time and derive satisfaction doing it.

With labor rates let alone the cost of parts and freight and the time it takes many things are now disposable.

When I managed a fair amount of low income rentals the amount of after Christmas toys tossed was eye opening.

A little girl with her pink Barbie Bike was so happy on Christmas…

A few months later I saw the bike in the dumpster and thought a mistake.

I asked the mom and she said she put it in… I was baffled.

The mom said the tire is flat and she doesn’t have money to fix it… all it needed was air and I used my van compressor to pump it up.

Monday I saw two nice office chairs next to the work dumpster… they came from a sublet tenant’s office.

The manger saw me and said she bought new ones because the chair backs were wobbly… the hand nut for the back was loose. Only needed to be tightened and for the hospital chairs I add a drop of thread locker and problem solved.

 

[chim]

If it takes 1 hour of labor time to fix a small appliance, is it cost effective to pay someone to fix it?

Not anymore. With the demand for cheaper things, durability decreased and wages increased. I'm 75 and still have a Lightning Guider sled from when I was a 6th grader that is still good. Admittedly it's been a few years since I used it. It survived my three grown sons who went through various saucers and toboggans.

When repairs were common I'm assuming the new (and most likely higher quality piece of equipment) represented a bigger part of the consumer's paycheck. Those were also the times that plastic bread bags were repurposed, old nails were reused, etc.

 

[JasperFrank]

I think, and this is my opinion only. That a lot of this was due to a decision by Congress years back to tax inventory.

This made for a very short influx of funds before companies eliminated warehousing or sent it out of reach of the inventory tax by placing it outside the country.

Now the only things that are stocked are high-turnover items constantly being sold and replaced, or specialty items that are accordingly priced to offset the inevitable tax.

Yet another thing to prevent items from being made here.

That is a very good insight! I think western adoption of Toyota Production Systems and JIT may have also been a factor.

 

[ultrarunner]

I believe the wealth of a people can be determined by what is cast off…

I’ve seen some very resourceful and innovative repairs in what would be described as third world countries…

Right now a person could fully equip a lawn and garden service with equipment tossed to the curb on bulky pickup day here.

My nice free to me Honda mower only needed a dose of seafoam.

Picks, shovels, axes, raked of very good quality left for the pickings…

2 nice Echo trimmers free… one needed the primer bulb and the other was as new but tossed because it is now illegal to use in city limits.

I’m certain there are plenty with a money no object attitude but surprised when I meet those in assistance with the same attitude like tossing a new bike because a tire is flat?

 

[grsthegreat]

With my generac standby generator business, i can generally find any part needed on any generator i have to work on. My problem isnt the cost of the item, it may only cost $8, but the packaging, handling and shipping can add $25 to the cost. And the customer then complains. I have to add my time searching for trouble and for part, plus for replacing part. It gets to be ridiculous sometimes how a small part can suddenly become a major cost. I carry a pretty substantial supply of parts to service the generators i maintain, but i cant stock everything. The overhead would be too much.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve noticed fewer and fewer stocked service vans…

Growing up if you called GE to fix your GE oven anything needed would be on the truck… same for Kenmore washers and dryers.

Today a factory service call is often nothing more than paying for an estimate…

Seen way too many under warranty LG refrigerators take weeks or months for repair to be completed.

I bet if LG had to provide a loaner for any warranty repair taking longer than 72 hours it would stock more parts in the USA.

My home came with a 20 year old built in subzero refrigerator and the compressor died…

The replacement box from Subzero with loyalty discount was $11,500…

I asked how much to replace the compressor… $983

The repair was white glove all the way… most I have ever paid for an appliance repair but a a tiny fraction of replacing my made in USA refrigerator.

 

[RandyT]

Buy it - break it - toss it - buy another has become a standard. Gone are the days when you could take a mixer or toaster to the repair shop down the street and get it fixed at a reasonable price.

Back when labor rates for $5/hour and a toaster cost $30 you could fix things reasonably. Now the toaster is $6 and labor rates are $75-125.

If it takes 1 hour of labor time to fix a small appliance, is it cost effective to pay someone to fix it?

If it can't be fixed in 15 minutes or less it is not cost effective to repair.

With my generac standby generator business, i can generally find any part needed on any generator i have to work on. My problem isnt the cost of the item, it may only cost $8, but the packaging, handling and shipping can add $25 to the cost. And the customer then complains. I have to add my time searching for trouble and for part, plus for replacing part. It gets to be ridiculous sometimes how a small part can suddenly become a major cost. I carry a pretty substantial supply of parts to service the generators i maintain, but i cant stock everything. The overhead would be too much.

Nothing like a $5 part and 4 hours labor to install.

 

[grsthegreat]

Yup…been there done that. Like taking entire side of generator apart to replace a $10 set of brushes.