How long do you keep parts before actually installing them and doing the work?

[762fermeandyou]

Does oil hoarding count? I feel like it should. I mean buying five years worth of oil is kind of the same thing right.

I would say yes. I still have quarts of ATF+4 and sold the Jeep.

 

[Paco Pena]

Automotive parts need to be aged like a fine wine....

Paco

 

[Snagglefoot]

I have a box of Accel coils for a 2 valve Ford 5.4. Truck is gone.

 

[PontiacHO]

There’s the warranty piece that can expire when the new part sits.

 

[mark198]

This is a year old pic of one of the hauls I brought home when Advance Auto/Carquest had their closeout sale. I had always bought parts and installed immediately, but that all changed with that sale. My entire stash at the moment is still probably triple the size of what's pictured. Most of these are now stored away in storage containers on the shelves.

I spent just under $450 all in all for various parts belonging to 5 cars, and I'd say I got way more than my money's worth in just the immediate fixes I've done over the past year (shocks/struts, control arms, CV's, brakes, spark plugs, fluids). But now I'm faced with constant complaints about when am I going to install the rest of it so my wife can get some shelf space back in the garage.

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

I don’t buy parts unless I need them. I do keep nuts, bolts, and washers handy in 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8 inch, some 1/2 inch. 90% of my needs for bolts are satisfied with that assortment. I also keep wood screws and some small machine screws handy. I also keep some angle and flat steel around for fabrication of parts. I also have round stock for my lathe. I try to keep all of this to a minimum.

 

[VWRand]

I have a 53 year old Capri I've owned for 25 years, and I have been buying stuff for 20 years thinking I'll need it some day. Mostly stuff from e bay or Rock Auto, and lately, parts are getting harder and harder to find, so pretty happy I got stuff when I did. When I decide I don't need something I can sell it to other Capri guys pretty easily.

Bought a clutch and pressure plate in 2003 and just got around to replacing it when I had the engine out a couple years ago.

I also have assorted oil and air filters and some misc. parts for a couple VW cars I junked that I've been trying to sell for cheap, but no takers on FB Marketplace as of yet.

 

[paulo57509]

I typically keep my vehicles way past the "use by" date or buy old, low mileage examples when parts become parts become NLA. I'll buy NOS parts when I come across them.

I have boxes of parts for the long gone LS400, Safari, Lumina and Legend. Some of the rare fossils are for the Legend.

I need to inventory the accumulated parts, sooner than later.