What to do if they no longer make parts for your car model

What does it mean when parts get discontinued?

When a part is discontinued, it means that it is no longer made by the manufacturer. In essence, all parts for a car will originate at the OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer – no matter where you buy them from. For example, an independent garage will likely get their parts from a supplier, and that supplier will have received the parts from the OEM directly. When the OEM stops producing these parts for whatever reason, it then becomes much harder to find – this is what is known as being discontinued.

Why do parts get discontinued?

The motoring industry is forever moving forward, and cars are always being improved and updated. As these updates are carried out, certain parts will need to be redesigned or even removed, meaning those original designs are now surplus to requirements.

How to get discontinued parts

Just because a part has been discontinued by the OEM, doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get hold of one. When a part is known to be ceasing production, most suppliers will likely bulk buy said part to ensure they have stocks for a while after it is discontinued. For a short while afterwards you’re unlikely to notice much of a difference in your experience, particularly if you’re going through an independent garage or supplier. However, as time rolls on, it will become more difficult to obtain the parts, and you could find it takes longer to get hold of the parts as a whole. Plus, when you are able to get hold of one, its value will likely have gone up slightly due to their now-rare nature.

Getting parts for discontinued cars

Although car makers will stop the production of parts once a car is discontinued, it is unlikely to be an immediate change. All manufacturers know that aftersales is a hugely important part of their service, and not all of their customers will immediately switch to the newer models – some may even hold onto their cars for years after they have been taken off sale. As a result, most OEMs will continue producing spare parts for cars years after the car itself has stopped being produced, to ensure that there is an adequate amount for repairs if they’re needed.

It still doesn’t stop there, though. Even if a manufacturer has stopped producing the original pieces, third party companies will often take over the manufacturing of the parts themselves – often slightly cheaper than the OEM. Finally, if you’re really stuck, you could find the parts at your local scrapyard. This is of course an unreliable solution, as there’s no guarantee of the condition or quality of the part – that’s if you can even find it. This should always be a last resort.

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Alternatives to discontinued car parts

If you absolutely can’t find any spare part for your car no matter how hard you try, then it may be time to start thinking outside of the box. Car meets can be great places to perhaps swap parts that might not be available anymore – alternatively, and if all else fails, you could try to fix the broken part yourself. 
If you’re completely stuck, you can’t buy the part anywhere and it’s completely unfixable, then there’s no point hanging on to a car that you can’t even use. By using Scrap Car Comparison you’re guaranteed to get the very best quote no matter the condition of your car. Better yet, with collection agents stationed all across the country, we’ll even arrange for it to be collected absolutely free of charge. Get started today by either calling our phone line on 03333 44 99 50 or by using our instant quote generator and your motoring nightmare will be over quickly and easily.

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