How long do USA auto manufacturers HAVE TO keep parts available ?

[3930dave]

Parts are available as long as there is money to be made from them.

If you can make more money by manipulating a market so that people have to buy a new high priced replacment vehicle, then whether or not the replacement part is sold at a profit becomes moot.

It's not as if any level of govt is going to turn down the additional tax revenue.....

Rgds, D.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I am a manufacturing engineer for a large tier one automotive parts supplier. We are required to supply replacement parts for a min of 10 years after the part is out production. It is not a government requirement but part of the contract with the OEM's. Some have recently been pushing for longer support, up to 15 years. Obviously is difficult for us to make models that have been out of production for so long. We usually do this by keeping some old inventory and rebuilding cores that come back from dealers and part stores. These parts are re-manufactured in house at a department that specializes in the old re-man parts. The parts are not usually made on the same high volume machines that made the originals but we keep the same tolerances and quality as the original components.

 

[Capricious]

I am a manufacturing engineer for a large tier one automotive parts supplier. We are required to supply replacement parts for a min of 10 years after the part is out production. It is not a government requirement but part of the contract with the OEM's. Some have recently been pushing for longer support, up to 15 years. Obviously is difficult for us to make models that have been out of production for so long. We usually do this by keeping some old inventory and rebuilding cores that come back from dealers and part stores. These parts are re-manufactured in house at a department that specializes in the old re-man parts. The parts are not usually made on the same high volume machines that made the originals but we keep the same tolerances and quality as the original components.

Just curious: are you aware of any difference in the time table for mechanical parts vs. cosmetic parts?

 

[3930dave]

On a practical note..... turns out that an 8 y/o Malibu Maxx uses the same shift console as a Monte Carlo SS.

My mechanic buddy had a friend drive an hour or so to the one boneyard that had a wrecked SS, and wait while their best puller carefully extracted the entire console and shifter. Used part ended up being $350 alone, but at least the cable was in good shape, and a better ending than scrapping the car.

On a Malibu yet..... Ya know..... maintaining a 2CV or a Ferrari is starting to look like not much of a stretch !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I am a manufacturing engineer for a large tier one automotive parts supplier. We are required to supply replacement parts for a min of 10 years after the part is out production. It is not a government requirement but part of the contract with the OEM's. Some have recently been pushing for longer support, up to 15 years. Obviously is difficult for us to make models that have been out of production for so long. We usually do this by keeping some old inventory and rebuilding cores that come back from dealers and part stores. These parts are re-manufactured in house at a department that specializes in the old re-man parts. The parts are not usually made on the same high volume machines that made the originals but we keep the same tolerances and quality as the original components.

Thanks for the input, it is appreciated. I've never had an issue with a re-man from a reputable supplier.

While most "OEM" vehicle manufacturers have off-loaded all the liabilities of parts manufacturing to their supplier base, I'm curious how the aftermarket is controlled at the end limit we are discussing.

Do the parts suppliers get to make their own call about what they continue to supply to the after-market, or is that legally constricited by the car companies ?

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Some interesting facts on parts availability...

Don't know if this is still the case...

For years the Post Office required manufacturers of postal trucks to maintain parts availability for as long as the Post Office kept vehicles in the fleet.

There was a series of letters published in the Model A Ford magazine detailing this...

Apparently Ford had to keep Model A parts in inventory through the mid 50's because in some rural areas Model A's or Model A drive trains were still being used by the post office more than 20 years after production ceased...

Ford was really phenomenal when it came to Model A parts because as mentioned... 50 years after my Model A rolled off the line in 1930 I went to my local Ford Dealer to order parts...

 

[Capricious]

Another thing to consider: the manufacturer of an 8 year old Malibu is no longer in business. The "old" GM went bankrupt in 2009, and a number of obligations/debts went with it. The "new" GM is only 5 years old, and as recent events involving ignition switches have shown, there is some dispute/debate as to whether the new GM is liable for issues involving the old GM.


Add in the bankruptcy of some major GM suppliers (Delphi comes to mind) and I guess I am not surprised that the replacement parts situation is somewhat "spotty" for products of the old GM.

 

[3930dave]

Some interesting facts on parts availability...

Don't know if this is still the case...

For years the Post Office required manufacturers of postal trucks to maintain parts availability for as long as the Post Office kept vehicles in the fleet.

There was a series of letters published in the Model A Ford magazine detailing this...

Apparently Ford had to keep Model A parts in inventory through the mid 50's because in some rural areas Model A's or Model A drive trains were still being used by the post office more than 20 years after production ceased...

Ford was really phenomenal when it came to Model A parts because as mentioned... 50 years after my Model A rolled off the line in 1930 I went to my local Ford Dealer to order parts...

When it comes to its own Operating Budget, govts are usually pretty good at slanting things their way. Consumers are expected to pay (and pay, and pay....) for things the govt does not (exemptions from pollution controls being one example).

I have no doubt that the govt understands what good parts availability means, long term, and takes care of its own interest accordingly. The same consumer protections OTOH, are deemed by many as "Interference with the Free Market"....... chuckle........ that FM term always makes me laugh...... as it ignores the billions that get spent propping up the auto industry.

Good design practices (Re-Use) can lead to parts commonality that spans many models/decades, if the Manuf. chooses to. Just good business practice, on the accounting side of things....

Rgds, D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Another thing to consider: the manufacturer of an 8 year old Malibu is no longer in business. The "old" GM went bankrupt in 2009, and a number of obligations/debts went with it. The "new" GM is only 5 years old, and as recent events involving ignition switches have shown, there is some dispute/debate as to whether the new GM is liable for issues involving the old GM.

Add in the bankruptcy of some major GM suppliers (Delphi comes to mind) and I guess I am not surprised that the replacement parts situation is somewhat "spotty" for products of the old GM.

Reason 76 to stay away from GM. Glad I parted ways in 05.....


Chris

 

[Capricious]

"..Reason 76 to stay away from GM. Glad I parted ways in 05....."



Well, I'm not going to get into the whole Ford/Gm/Dodge thing, other than to say I have a 2002 Ford that I bought new that has not been a stellar performer, in my opinion.