Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
Joe, since I(and probably everyone else here)know you as the GM Parts Authority, I had a thought the other day about the demise of the Pontiac/Saturn/Oldsmobile dealerships. Where does one get parts for these cars? Certainly the GM dealerships left can't stock these parts let alone parts for current Chevy/Cadillac/Buick cars. Where do they warehouse ALL of these leftover parts? I think a manufacturer has to be able to provide parts for any vehicle produced for at least 10yrs? I don't know if I'd ever want to buy a vehicle like a Pontiac or Saturn vehicle based on this? I keep my cars for many, many years and get my money's worth out of them. Wonder about your opinion or what you might know on the subject?
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
on the east cost its in Martinsburg West VA off I-81. I was told the warehouse is something 5 miles long. -
Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
Paul------
Parts for GM's discontinued vehicle lines remain available from GM dealers. Most, if not all, GM dealers have electronic catalogs for all of the discontinued makes and models. Many of the parts are common to other non-discontinued makes and models. For those that are not, I expect that GM will continue to supply parts for about as long as they do for other non-discontinued makes and models. For example, even when a non-discontinued Chevrolet model like a Malibu undergoes a re-engineering, most of the parts are new and the parts used on the former design are no longer used in PRODUCTION. Yet, those parts continue to be available for quite some time. I expect it will be exactly the same for the discontinued makes and models. The basic rule is this: if a part has a sufficient sales volume, it will be continued as long as it has a sufficient sales volume. I have a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and I'm no more concerned about parts availability than if I had a 2004 Chevrolet Impala. And I've checked parts availability for the Pontiac from time-to-time. Actually, I'm surprised at the number and type of parts still available.
Also, there is no requirement that manufacturers maintain parts availability for 10 years. That's a common myth. For some type of parts, there is NO requirement of parts availability (e.g. interior trim parts). For certain type of parts (e.g. engine, transmission, and emission-related) the FTC and EPA do have a requirement for parts availability. I think it is 7 years but it might be less. Of course, manufacturers can continue to offer parts beyond the required period and usually do.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
IIRC certain emission systems have to be guaranteed to function by the manufacturer for 8 years or 100K miles (Convertor is one, but there are others like the ECM). Thus one might expect those parts to be available for at least 8 years. Other parts are as Joe states -- if it sells they continue to make it.
Chevrolet dealers, and other GM brand dealers, order from common warehouses, and with the modern electronic parts catalogs any GM parts counter can access parts for any brand of GM vehicle -- if those parts are available in a warehouse anywhere in the nation. That situation has existed since before the introduction of the computerized parts system, but back then a parts counter had to have the books for the other model lines, and many smaller dealers did not. Now I believe all GM parts counters regardless of brand have access to the same computer parts data. And BTW, that access costs them a bundle.TerryComment
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
I spoke with a Chevy dealer who confirmed he can, and does, get parts for any brand and model, and he rarely has difficulty getting the parts within a couple of days at most. When I mentioned the cost of online parts books/lists he winced. Years ago a good friend owned a Chevy dealership and told me he made more money in his parts dept. than in his sales dept. He was the main regional parts source for Chevy parts and some GM.
SteveComment
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
I am a GM dealer and any GM dealer can still get them from GM.Comment
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
This may go back more than 20 years but I was told that Corvette and certain Cadillac models were to have service parts available -- forever! Now I am sure that there had to be some leeway with that original requirment. But I am equally sure that with the GM bankruptsy, the spin off of the GM component divisions, etc that dictate is no longer in effect.
JimComment
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Re: Joe Lucia-GM Parts Question Availability...
Forever is a long time. I work for an electric utility that has morphed through several consolidations and acquisitions over the recent years. In the 1800s we signed contracts with some building owners in downtown Chicago to provide DC electricity "in perpetuity" -- not for free, but the service was guaranteed to be provided. This was done at a time when the reliability of electric power was being questioned, and sometimes for good reason. We still provide those buildings (fewer and fewer every year) with DC electricity -- and we will until those buildings are torn down or they release us from that contract. Now days it is extremely costly to do that because DC power at 120/240 volts is not commonly available -- at least not in this country.TerryComment
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